Endive

Opposites definitely attract: The slightly bitter endive married with the sweet cantaloupe. It’s a perfect summer dish and incredibly easy … what more do you want?

My grandmother passed this recipe down to my mom and she then passed it on to me. It's a casserole of pure comfort. First, bitter endive is simmered until sweet, then wrapped in savory ham and smothered with a creamy nutmeg béchamel. Gruyère tops it off before it's baked until bubbly and golden.

Chef Todd Aarons of Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, California, shared this recipe as part of a Hanukkah cocktail party menu he created exclusively for Epicurious. Make the pâté just before serving—it's a very quick recipe to put together—as this dish has the most flavor and the best texture when it's warm and fresh from the broiler.

This salad is so simple and refreshing. The spiced matzo chips can be made a few days in advance and stored in a ziplock bag. I always make some extra to serve with soup or dips at another meal.
Parve
Gebrokts

Chimay "À La Bière" cheese is a Belgian smooth semisoft cheese that is washed with Chimay beer. It has a pungent aroma and mild flavor. Look for it in specialty cheese shops or on amazon.com or igourmet.com, or try another cheese with a beer-washed rind, such as German Temptin cheese.

A delicious winter salad that would also be great alongside pork chops.

Guests won't leaf these alone! A yogurt dressing and plenty of produce keep the tangy mouthfuls light.

A simple flurry of slightly bitter endive slivers is just the right palate cleanser after a substantial meal. The key to the equally easy vinaigrette is to temper sumptuous walnut oil with lighter, more neutral vegetable oil.

The peppery watercress and tangy onion are balanced by the sweet richness of the braised figs. It takes eight hours to pickle the onion, so be sure to plan ahead.

Apples make this salad appealing even to young children.

A salad of oranges and slightly bitter endive and escarole rounds out the buffet of fried latkes and rich toppings.

This rich side dish gets unexpected encouragement from orange, cream, and Chinese five-spice powder.

This dip is similar to the original green goddess dressing, which was created in the 1920s at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel. Here, sour cream stands in for mayo.

Neal Fraser, Executive Chef and co-owner of Grace and BLD in Los Angeles, shared this recipe with Epicurious. The dish is perfect for entertaining, since the endive and celery root flans can be made ahead and reheated. The garlic nage should be made shortly before serving and kept warm while you quickly sear the turbot. A shaving of earthy black truffles finishes the dish. "Grating them on top makes them soft and allows their perfume to stand out," says Fraser.

Here, a garlic-packed vinaigrette is infused with caramelized sucs—pan drippings—from the roast pork, creating an uncanny fusion of nutty, meaty flavors.