In San Francisco, we are getting glimpses of summer’s arrival with sunny, blue-skied days. For those of you who have attended my monthly cooking classes, Thrive Kitchen at Home, you know that I feature a different menu every month, timed to the seasons and/or celebrating cultural heritage or nutrition–themed months. We are just finishing Mediterranean Diet month (May) and heading towards the beginning of summer, so I thought it was time for a Mediterranean Picnic! This is one of the recipes I’ll be teaching on June 18. The virtual class is free for Kaiser Permanente members and $20 for the general public. Head over to the Thrive Kitchen site for more info, or email sfhealthed@kp.org or call 415-833-3450 to register. I would love to see you there!

Endive Leaves with Harissa Carrot Yogurt

Excerpted from SPICEBOX KITCHEN: Eat Well and Be Healthy with Globally Inspired, Vegetable-Forward Recipes by Linda Shiue, MD. Copyright © 2021. Available from Balance, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

Dip adapted from Vegetable Butcher by Cara Mangini

Makes: about 36 leaves

Ingredients

For the dip:

12 ounces (3-5) carrots, peeled and grated coarsely

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped

1 teaspoon fine Kosher salt

4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups plain Greek-style yogurt

1 tsp harissa (if unavailable, use paprika and Aleppo or cayenne pepper, to taste)

Garnishes:      

kosher salt

carrot greens, parsley or mint, chopped

pomegranate arils (seeds)

more chopped pistachios

extra-virgin olive oil

For serving: 6 heads endive, carefully separated into leaves

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until they start to soften.

2.  Add the pistachios and salt, then cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the carrots start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, or until fragrant. Remove from heat.

3. Put the yogurt in a medium bowl and then add the cooked carrot mixture and harissa. Stir together and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, as needed, to taste.

4. To fill endive leaves: Hold each leaf in one hand, facing upward like a boat. Add a teaspoon-size dollop to the bottom/root end (only) of each endive leaf. Arrange prettily on a platter, then garnish each filled leaf with a few pomegranate arils, minced herbs, a few chopped pistachios, and a pinch of salt.

If you’d like to cook with me, visit the Thrive Kitchen site to see menu details and register for a class. If you’re interested in a medical consultation with me in Lifestyle Medicine or Culinary Medicine, learn more here (open to adults in California). You can also follow me on Instagram @spiceboxtravels. To your health!