Goat Cheese Endive Appetizer

I started making this appetizer of goat cheese on endive leaves a few years ago at a dinner party I threw and haven’t hosted a party since where they weren’t requested and promptly devoured. They really couldn’t be any easier, but look and taste way better than the sum of two parts. They would be great at cocktail parties as well as just to have as a simple appetizer to hold off the hordes of hungry people before any holiday meal and as they take next to no time to make, are a perfect treat to throw at your family and buy yourself a little more time when needed. The leaves form edible “spoons” to serve a tiny lump of goat cheese, so there is no need for cocktail pics or any other serving utensils.
I use an herbed goat cheese from Trader Joes for this, but any brand will do. If you can’ find goat cheese rolled in fines herbes just add some fresh herbs of your own choosing when you mash the goat cheese–dill, parsley and basil are easy places to start.

Goat Cheese Endive Appetizer

Ingredients:
4oz log herbed goat cheese, or half goat cheese/half cream cheese mix
2 or more heads belgian endive, green or red

Directions:
Mash the goat cheese with a fork to evenly distribute the herb coating and blend in cream cheese if using. Break the leaves off of the head of endive until they get too small to function as edible spoons. Fill the broad end of the leaf with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of filling, pressing down a bit with the fork so that it doesn’t fall off. Place on a serving platter and serve.

Notes:
-Scale this up as needed. It’s not hard to stretch the cheese by loading less into the leaves, and endive is relatively cheap when served this way. Some places sell both colors in the same package so you can layer the platter with alternating colors if you’re so inclined.
-This is a very easy recipe to have your kids make, as it involves no sharp utensils, nothing hot and a very simple process. Count on as many being eaten as made once they start making them (the same goes of just about any kitchen helpers) and plan accordingly.
-These can sit in the fridge for a few hours, but I wouldn’t make them super far in advance as you might have to deal with wilting endive leaves. Making them the morning of your dinner is about as early as I’d go.