Endive Boats with Marinated Vegetables

Fill endive leaves with shredded beets, carrots, and fennel marinated in a white-wine vinaigrette. You can add salmon roe just before serving.

1-3 oz small fresh beet
1¾ tsp. sea salt
1 medium carrot, peeled
½ (8 oz) bulb fennel, trimmed
1 Tbsp. white-wine vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. pepper, freshly cracked
1¼ lb (5 large heads) Belgian endive
2 Tbsp. salmon roe (optional)
2 tsp. chervil leaves, chopped

Place beet and 1½ tsp. sea salt in a saucepan of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; boil until beet is tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and peel beet; grate on large holes on a box grater, and place in a bowl. Grate carrot; add to beets.

Cut fennel into very thin ½”long slivers; add to beets and carrots.

Whisk together vinegar, olive oil, pepper, and remaining ¼ tsp. sea salt. Toss with vegetables. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Trim endive, separating leaves. Reserve large leaves for another use. Fill lower half of small leaves with 1½ tsp. of vegetable mixture. Top with 1/8 tsp. salmon roe, if using; garnish with chervil.

Makes 36.