Sautéed Endive with Appelstroop and Five Spices
Photography by Maarten Vanderwal // Food Styling by Ingmar Niezen
The Dutch province of Limburg is famous for its appelstroop, a dark brown syrup made of apples, pears and nothing else. You can cook with it, spread it on toast, or drizzle it on pancakes and desserts. The syrup has a very rich taste, not as sweet as you’d expect. The locals know what to eat it with: a cheese sandwich, sausages, and as an ingredient in marinades, stews and desserts. Writer Marian Flint and recipe genius ingmar Niezen bring us some fresh ideas for this very traditional syrup.
Find a jar of real Dutch appelstroop online and try this delicious dish.
For other appelstroop recipes: Beer and Beef Stew with Appelstroop, Roasted Chicken with Mustard and Appelstroop, Savory Boffert Cake, Pear Tatin with Walnuts, Ginger and Appelstroop, and a local version from Executive Chef Jessica Lewis at The Oaklander’s Spirits & Tales restaurant, Polish Honey Cake with homemade Apple and Pear Syrup
Sautéed Endive with Appelstroop and Five Spices
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 oz lamb’s (mache) lettuce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp each: mustard seeds, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper
4 heads endive
1 oz butter
3 tbsp Apple Pear Syrup
1 oz pistachio nuts, roasted and chopped
Instructions
Wash and dry the lettuce. Mix the oil and vinegar with some pepper and salt. Set aside.
Crush all the seeds in a mortar. Cut the endive lengthwise in 4 parts. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and sauté the endive on medium-high to high heat with the seeds for 4 to 5 minutes.
When they are almost done, add the syrup and 2 tbsp water. Keep on sautéing and moving them around on a high heat so that it’s all covered with a shiny coating.
Mix the lettuce with the dressing. Serve on a plate, adding the pistachio nuts and some extra syrup sauce that’s left in the pan.
Goes well with (not so Dutch) cold sake.
STORY and PROP STYLING BY MARIAN FLINT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAARTEN VANDERWAL // RECIPE AND FOOD STYLING BY INGMAR NIEZEN
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