The Healthy Secrets of Bitter Taste | Endives with Parmesan, Grilled Pears and Mustard Dressing
Loved by some and hated by others, the endive is one of those ingredients that causes controversy and is that its flavor is quite characteristic and to that bitter taste of endive we owe its multitude of benefits.
There are several flavors offered by food, sweet, salty, spicy, astringent or bitter, all of them so varied and with specific properties. All have emotional connotations, we perceive the sweet as something pleasant while the bitter associate it with disgust, which is a pity because the bitter taste, specifically its active ingredients, has very important therapeutic properties.
The bitter taste is educated as we grow old. Our initial rejection is due to an adaptive question, most toxic substances have a bitter taste, hence our natural rejection, our body is simply preventing us from poisoning. The bitter taste is detected in the back of the tongue. As we have said, age is a long time ago, as we get older we are accepting better and more pure chocolate, more bitter, but with dosing and learning we could all benefit from the multitude of properties that have bitter-tasting vegetables.
Properties of bitter taste
- It acts on the hypothalamus, stimulating the appetite, so it is especially suitable for people with a lack of hunger or undernourished.
- Stimulate digestion because they potentiate the hormone that facilitates the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Causes the production of more bile and gastric and stomach juices. Thus the ingredients of bitter taste are especially good for people with difficult and heavy digestions.
- They have a detoxifying power. By stimulating the production of bile, it is in turn helping to digest and metabolize fats in the intestine and to eliminate unwanted microorganisms.
- It has a satiating power, hence bitter vegetables (chicory, arugula …) are used as a starter.
- Herbs and other bitter ingredients help fight candidiasis, parasites, rashes on the feet, tumors, and help decongest the lungs.
Bitter vegetables are rich in nutrients, highlighting vitamin A, C and K and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. They are rich in fiber and low in fat.
Although in spite of all their properties, they have very powerful principles so it is better to take them in small quantities daily, and if you are an anemic person better in moderation.
There are many ingredients that have bitter principles, the endive, arugula and dandelion are perhaps the best known, but celery, kale, cacao, olives, chicory, artichokes, zucchini, grapefruit, dill, chard or turmeric also they have them.
Today’s recipe is simple and ideal to be introduced little by little to this flavor. It perfectly combines the bitterness of the endive with the sweetness of the mustard and the pear, which if we make it on the grill we will give it a deeper touch.
- 2 endives if possible of different color to make the dish more attractive
- 1 pear cut into sheets not too thin but not too thick
- 25 grams grated parmesan or cut into thin strips
- 1 handful hazelnuts toasted and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon old mustard or grain
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- freshly ground black pepper
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We will start roasting the pear. Heat a grill over medium-high heat, when hot add the pear slices and roast until it is marked, no more than one minute per side. Remove and reserve on a plate
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For the dressing, we will put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well until they are all combined.
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Then we will deflame the endive, put it on a plate and add the chopped hazelnuts, the cut parmesan and the roasted pears. We serve with the dressing.