Endive Leaves Stuffed with Ground Turkey (recipe, m)

My imagination was challenged when HaDassah Sabo Milner told me I would be receiving turkey parts from KOL Foods. What could I do that was fresh and new?

I started to remember all the stuffed vegetables I saw in Istanbul and decided to stuff endive leaves with the chopped turkey mixed with the Turkish trilogy of herbs: mint, parsley and dill. Unlike chopped steak, you can't taste chopped turkey until it's cooked; so as I added the herbs, salt and pepper etc. I concentrated hard that the proportions were right. Success! Everyone loved my creation from the most critical adult at the table (my son) to my adventurous mini gourmets (my grandchildren).

Thank you again KOL Foods and HaDassah Sabo Milner. Now I'll work on the turkey legs!

Endive Leaves Stuffed with Ground Turkey M Yield: 8

Perfect for an appetizer or part of a buffet table, this dish is light and full of flavor. The use of fresh herbs is a must!

Ingredients

2 large endives

1 extra large egg

1 pound ground turkey

½ cup chopped onion

4 tablespoons bread crumbs

¼ cup freshly minced dill

2 tablespoons freshly minced flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons freshly minced mint

Freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt

Olive oil

Equipment

Medium mixing bowl

Butcher twine

Parchment paper

Dutch oven or skillet with cover

Directions

1. Cut  root ends off endives. Slice them lengthwise down the middle. Remove the hearts and save them for salad. I was able to get eight good size leaves from each endive. You can use the smaller leaves but they are more difficult to work with. Rinse the separated leaves. Pat them dry and set aside.
2. Cut eight 5 inch pieces of butcher twine and set them aside.
3. Line Dutch oven or skillet with parchment paper.
4. Beat egg slightly. Add egg, onions, bread crumbs and herbs to ground turkey and mix lightly but thoroughly.
5. Fill each endive leaf with turkey mixture. Don’t pack it down into the leaf-just spoon it in gently. Lay two endives leaves side by side. Slip a piece of twine underneath them and carefully pull the two leaves together and tie them closed. Repeat this process until the eight bundles are done.
6. Pour a little olive oil on top of the parchment paper. Arrange endive bundles in a single layer on top of the oil. Sprinkle with two or three turns of the pepper grinder and a pinch of sea salt. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top of the bundles and cover. Braise over low heat for one hour. Remove endive bundles from pan Sprinkle with a little minced parsley or dill and serve hot or warm.

Note: If you need to layer the bundles, be sure to place parchment paper drizzled with oil between each layer.

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