Dec 6
2010

Endive Boats with Avocado, Pomegranate, & Crab Salad—Gluten-Free Appetizer for Share Our Holiday Table

in Appetizers, Entertaining, Fruits & Vegetables, Japanese, Share Our Strength

Today is the first day of a 7-course virtual progressive dinner party called Share Our Holiday Table.  This is a fund-raising event to support Share Our Strength’s ‘No Kid Hungry Campaign’ to raise awareness of child hunger in the U.S.  50 fellow bloggers will be sharing wonderful holiday recipes and ideas for each course over the coming days in four different categories: gourmet, family friendly, vegetarian, and gluten-free.  With the combined message of 50 bloggers and your help, we can spread awareness far and wide!  Today we start with appetizers.

Share Our Holiday Table 2010

I made a gluten-free appetizer for the dinner party.  I decided to try it out on my guests at my POM party last month.  I made a simple avocado, pomegranate, and crab salad that I served in crisp endive leaves.  I topped the salad with a creamy tangy pomegranate sauce and a bit of lemon zest.  This appetizer was probably the most popular dish of the night.  It was beautiful and packed full of flavor.  It was a big hit on my end as well because it was quick and easy to make, taking some of the pressure off of me as I was worrying about so many other dishes.

Appetizer Course -- Endive Boats

I made the sauce the day before.  The sauce takes about 10 minutes to make.  You combine the ingredients in a double boiler and stir them constantly until the sauce thickens into a thin-mayonnaise consistency.  Then you force the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to catch any possible lumps, and let it cool.

Pomegranate Sauce

Before the party, all I had to do was chop up the avocados and mix them with crab meat and pomegranate arils, then fill endive leaves with the mixture, and spoon a bit of the prepared sauce over the salad and finish them off with a bit of lemon zest.

Crab Avocado Pomegranate SaladFilling the endive boats

The sweet crab meat tastes delicious with the creamy avocado and tangy sweet burst of flavor from the pomegranate arils.  The sauce adds a bit of creamy tang and the lemon zest finishes everything off with a bit of citrusy sunshine.  The endive leaves provide a perfect way to get the salad from your plate to mouth, adding a pleasant, slightly bitter crunch.

Endive Boats

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Endive Boats with Avocado, Pomegranate, & Crab Salad

Makes approximately 30 boats

Recipe Note: For those who want to make sure this appetizer is gluten-free, make sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.  You could also substitute Bragg Fluid Aminos if you can’t find a gluten-free soy sauce.

For the Pomegranate Sauce:
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup dashi (or vegetable stock)
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice concentrate
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 medium, ripe avocados cut into 1/4-inch cubes
6 ounces cooked crab meat
3/4 cup pomegranate arils
2 large heads Belgian endive
Finely grated lemon zest, to garnish

1. Make the Pomegranate Sauce: Combine the pomegranate sauce ingredients in a double boiler, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes the consistency of thin mayonnaise.  Force the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and let it cool.  Refrigerate sauce until ready to use.

2. Make the boats: Pick through the crab to remove any cartilage or shell that may be present.  Combine the crab meat, avocado, and pomegranate arils in a bowl and mix gently.  Separate the endive leaves.  Spoon a small amount of the salad into each endive leaf.  Drizzle the pomegranate sauce over the salad, garnish with lemon zest, and serve.

Appetizers from other dinner party bloggers:

To make a donation to Share Our Strength, click here.

{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }

Maria December 6, 2010 at 11:09 am

Great appetizer and cause! This one is so pretty for the holidays too!

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Paula - bell'alimento December 6, 2010 at 11:19 am

Oh my gosh, totally making this for a get together coming up! Delicious and genius!

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Traci December 6, 2010 at 12:08 pm

Looks delicious!!

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Heather (Heather's Dish) December 6, 2010 at 12:11 pm

endive is one of those things that i love but always forget about! this sounds like the best gluten-free appetizer :)

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jenjenk December 6, 2010 at 12:28 pm

omg. i want this again so badly. you are killing me!!!!

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marla {family fresh cooking} December 6, 2010 at 12:54 pm

Rachael, your endive boats look delish. I am so happy that we are able to participate in this charity event together :) xo

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Abigail (aka Mamatouille) December 6, 2010 at 2:33 pm

That looks absolutely amazing! I can just imagine all those different flavors and textures together–yum. Ohisashiburi desu ne!

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Fuji Nana December 6, 2010 at 3:56 pm

This just went on my Christmas Eve dinner plan.

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SMITH BITES December 6, 2010 at 4:24 pm

what i think is absolutely perfect about this appetizer Rachael, is that everything is spooned into an endive which is both plate and utensil; and can we talk about the colors, texture and flavor?? would love to serve these at a party!!

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Fuji Papa December 6, 2010 at 5:11 pm

I love avocado and crab and you have now gotten me hooked on pomegranate. This combination looks like a match made in food heaven.

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Big Boys Oven December 7, 2010 at 4:18 am

Gluten-Free Appetizer it what I love best! so yummy and healthy! :)

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Gluten Free Diva December 7, 2010 at 1:18 pm

Pom party? What a great idea! Your creation looks amazing, delicious, and a beautiful sight for the eyes. Isn’t this a remarkable event that we’re a part of?

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the urban baker December 12, 2010 at 9:15 pm

this looks yummy, Rachel. Happy holidays to you and your family!!

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Michelle (What's Cooking with Kids) December 13, 2010 at 8:32 pm

That looks divine – and I love that you don’t need silverware to eat it! Thanks for joining our SOS efforts for kids :-)

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Cheryl W. December 13, 2010 at 11:56 pm

I am so going to make this and take some to my friends office. She recently found out she is gluten intolerant. This should be a great surprise for her.

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SeattleDee November 14, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Colorful, tasty, easy to eat and quick to prep – what more could a cook ask? I give occasional cooking lessons to some young friends (flight attendants) and this appetizer will be featured in our next session.

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