Warm Stuffed Endive Salad

Total time: 25 minutes
    The endive is cooked until tender, then the stem end hollowed.  Fill it with creamy eggs and finish with a lemony mayonnaise for a late winter warm salad.

 Ingredients:

• 2 Belgian endive
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
• 2 eggs
• 2oz (60gr) ham or bacon
• 1 tbs dried chives
• 1 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
• Lemon Mayonnaise:
• 3 tbs mayonnaise
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

 Instructions:

• The endive: 
• Rinse endive and remove 2 or 3 outer leaves as needed.  Trim the stem end.  Cut each endive in half the long way through the stem. 
• Heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the endive flat, in one layer. 
• Add endive, cut side down, and sauté until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. 
• Turn and sauté the other side. 
• Add chicken stock, cover and simmer until the stem end is tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 10 minutes longer. 
• Remove endive to a plate, cut side up.  Reserve stock for another use.
• With a sharp knife cut a long, shallow, v-shaped wedge from the stem end to about halfway to the tip.  Discard cuttings.  Set endive aside.  
• The Eggs: 
• Lightly whisk eggs, chives and yogurt. 
• Heat 1 tsp oil in skillet.
• Add ham or bacon and sauté until lightly browned (if using bacon, until crisp.  Drain excess fat). 
• Reduce heat to low and add eggs. 
• Stir once or twice, remove from heat and allow them to finish cooking off heat, stirring occasionally.  They should be very moist when done. 
• Lemon Mayonnaise:
• Mix all ingredients for mayonnaise, set aside until needed.
• To finish: 
• Arrange the endive on 2 plates. 
• Divide the eggs and spoon onto the hollowed end of the endive, mounding high. 
• Spoon Lemon Mayonnaise on the side and serve.