Endive Spears with Smoked Trout
Most people get excited about the holiday season because of all the wonderful baked goods and sweets they get to consume. Me? I get excited about the appetizers. I can’t get enough of them!
Appetizers are my most favorite part of a meal. I take them pretty seriously, and many times at restaurants, I’ll opt for ordering two appetizers over a main course any day of the week.
My family tends to stick to pretty simple appetizers over the holidays (specifically, Christmas). Some easy dips and spreads, and other dishes that we can put together very quickly and painlessly.
Appetizers don’t need to be hard or complicated. These endive spears with smoked trout have been in our family’s appetizers recipe arsenal for at least five years now, but I always forget how good (and EASY) they are. This dish can be thrown together in less than 15 minutes.
Smoked fish is one of my absolute favorite things on earth–I can barely control myself around smoked salmon! Smoked trout is my second favorite and is much more affordable to boot and is very easy to find.
In fact, all of the ingredients used in this dish are straight-forward and can be found at any basic supermarket. The smoked trout fillets are broken up in a large flakes with a fork, and mixed with a combination of Greek yogurt, a touch of mayonnaise, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sliced green onions, sweet paprika, and fresh garlic.
Confession? I despise mayonnaise in almost every other instance, but love these. So if you’re a mayonnaise hater, don’t fret!
The trout is then spooned into crisp and bitter endive leafs, which make this dish great for passing. One of my least favorite things about passed appetizers (particularly in a standing situation) is that you are often forced to balance a plate, drink, and carry on a conversation at the same time.
These guys can be grabbed and in their own little edible container. It is basically an elegant, slightly more upscale version of a lettuce cup! Eat up!
Endive Spears with Smoked Trout
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons 2% (or whole-fat) Greek yogurt
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 clove of garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces flaked smoked trout fillet
- 4 heads of Belgian endive
- lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
- In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and sweet paprika. Add the flaked trout fillet (leave it in relatively large chunks, as it will have a nicer texture) and stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Trim the ends of the endive spears to separate the leaves (you will want to set aside the most inner, small endive leaves to use in another dish, such as a salad, etc.). Using the large endive spear leaves, spoon a tablespoon or so of the trout mixture into each spear. Serve them immediately on a platter with extra lemon wedges.
Recipe barely adapted from Seasonal Favorites by Williams-Sonoma.
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I could definitely go for an appetizer like this. I’m a sucker for fish and appetizers.
I agree, appetizers are the best. I take them over dinner any day! I need to cook more of them and I need to use more fish. These look amazing!
one of my favorites, too bad I can’t eat smoked fish until February!
Such an elegant appetizer! Hot smoked salmon is one of my favorites! Beautifully done, Laura!
You are so sweet! Thank you!!
Laura, I LOVE smoked fish! That was one of the hardest pats for me to give up when I was pregnant and my husband had a huge packet of salmon waiting for me when I got home from the hospital 🙂 this is such an elegant appetizer! Love!
My sister is mad at me for posting this recipe because she can’t eat it right now! Ha! That sounds like a wonderful present from your husband. I’m going to remember that for when the day comes!!
I’m so with you, it’s ALL about the apps! While I’ve acquired a sweet tooth over the years, my heart lies with the savory side of food. These are perfect — simple, elegant, so delicious.
Mine too! Savory all the way!
Oh my gosh. I want fifty of these. They look and sound SO good, Laura!
Thanks Cynthia!!! 🙂
I’ve been going to town on appetizers lately also. SO much more fun than eating one meal when you can have two or three different mini meals. Smoked fish is a favorite of mine and it sounds so perfect atop those endives!
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