Appetizer Week: Endive with Tuna Confit and Caper Aioli

J – Endive leaves make just about anything elegant.

And, when you start with the richness of tuna confit and capers, the presentation is even more inviting. These one-bite flavor-bombs really shine on their own. Or, group them with some of the other appetizers we’re showcasing this week.

Welcome to Appetizer Week!

Appetizers can easily get a bad rap. No wonder, with what usually gets laid out.

Celery, carrots and zucchini on a plate with bottled ranch. Blah. Chips and “fresh” salsa from a plastic container. Ugh. Unknown cheese and “healthy” crackers. Don’t get me started …

Sound familiar? It doesn’t have to be that way.

This week we offer some quite easy and flavorful appetizers that are a departure from the usual suspects.

Appetizer Week: Endive with Tuna Confit and Caper Aioli
Recipe type: Snacks
Author:
Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 12 appetizers
Ingredients
  • ¼ pound tuna confit (recipe link below), chopped finely
  • ½ shallot, minced
  • 1 Tbsp capers, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 endives, pulled apart into individual leaves
  • Chives for garnish, chopped
  • Paprika for garnish
Instructions
  1. Combine tuna confit, shallot, capers, mayonnaise, lemon and cayenne.
  2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
  3. Place about a teaspoon of the mixture at the end of each endive stalk.
  4. Sprinkle paprika over the tuna mixture.
  5. Sprinkle chives.
  6. Repeat with remaining mix and endives.
  7. Serve.
  8. Enjoy!

Tuna Confit recipe

This dish came from a desire to use endive leaves and the fact that we still had some tuna confit left. BTW: The tuna confit keeps really well in it’s poaching oil in the fridge.

The presentation was really pretty. The taste was, as I said, a creamy, tangy flavor-bomb. Yum!