We wouldn’t be surprised at how many might’ve not known. After all, the road to the gate of Heaven is a narrow one. Not many can find it. Plus it’s a pretty long road. The thing is braising can get risky if done with the wrong kind of food. You’re basically cooking a food in a specific type of liquid for a really long time, and if the food doesn’t hold up too well to moisture, you might come up with something a bit wilted. And last we checked some vegetables don’t do too well when wilted. So what about braised endive?

Funny You Should Mention Braised Endive — a Rare Find, a Genius Find

And there are plenty of other ways you can eat or use endive as part of your culinary exploration. But braising? That opens up a whole new frontier of awesomeness. The thing about Belgian endives is the fact that they’re quite the hardy leafy green. It’s difficult to really break down the veggie, not like lettuce. You can rinse lettuce in hot water for just 30 seconds and risk destroying it all. But endives are so remarkably sturdy that braising only softens up the leaves and infuses them with whatever flavor you like.

So try this: heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add a half-cup of bread crumbs. Throw in a couple tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley as well, toast it all until nicely browned and crispy. Set it all aside.

The next thing you want to do is get a deep saucepan, add another tablespoon each of oil and vegan butter. Cut 5 or 6 Belgian endive heads in half the length-wise, laying them down cut-side on the pan. You won’t even begin to imagine how much fun it would be to watch the endive sizzle with the butter, enriching the flavors. Saute for three minutes while adding some minced garlic cloves and dried thyme, a cup of vegetable broth, kosher salt and black pepper.

The braising then begins. You let the pot slowly boil for a half-hour with the goodies in there. Turn each endive head over every ten minutes while you’re at it. Let the liquid evaporate, remove, put on a platter, and sprinkle with those toasted bread crumbs. Voila.

Talk About Wholesome… Which Many Never Thought Possible With Veggies (ORGANIC Veggies, to Be Exact)

Just writing this (and you reading this, hopefully) gets that stomach growling. Veggies definitely can do it up well. Just remember, though, that this particular idea exists only as a side dish given the lack of protein. But, in all honesty, what can you not add into the braising liquid to make it a true-blue meal?

That’s right. Nothing. You’ve got the goods right here. You’re most definitely welcome.