Endive Spears with Walnut Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 small heads Belgian endive
• 1 (3 1/2 oz.) package goat cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. minced shallot
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 6 (3-piece) Servings 

1. Heat oven to 275 F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; cool and finely chop.
2. Trim the base of endive heads and separate in to leaves. Set aside the 18 largest leaves; save the remainder for another use.
3. Stir together walnuts, goat cheese, shallot, salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Spoon rounded teaspoons of the goat cheese mixture onto the wide ends of the endive slides. Transfer to a platter and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. These little French hors d'oeuvres are a wonderful treat. They are creamy, flavorful and delicious. Toasting the walnuts gives the goat cheese filling a nice aromatic flavor with the addition of the minced shallot and chives. Spoon the goat cheese filling onto a nice, crisp piece of endive and you have a sophisticated appetizer at your next gathering.