Belgian Endive Au Gratin Recipes

ENDIVE GRATIN WITH HAM AND GRUYERE CHEESE

Steps:

• Special Equipment: Steaming basket
• Serving Suggestion: French baguette, sliced
• Preheat oven to 350 to 375 degrees F.
• In a large pot fitted with a steaming basket, bring 1-inch of water to a boil. Place the endives in the basket, cover, and let cook until very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a colander and let drain, pushing down on the endives with a clean kitchen towel until as much of the water as possible has been expelled. Do not mush the endives!
• In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the foam has subsided, add the endives and cook, turning occasionally, until brown and caramelized on all surfaces. Remove from heat and wrap each endive in 1 slice of the ham. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. When the foam has subsided whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute, being careful not to brown the flour. Whisk in the milk in a slow, steady stream. Bring to a boil whisking constantly, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Season with a generous amount of pepper and the nutmeg.
• Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch flameproof ceramic baking dish, then arrange the ham-wrapped endives on top in a single layer. Cover with the remaining sauce and the cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler, transfer the pan to the top rack, and broil until the cheese has patches of golden goodness - about 2 minutes. Serve hot with generous amounts of sauce and baguette slices.

BELGIAN CHICONS AU GRATIN (ENDIVES AU GRATIN)

Steps:

• Cut the bottom part of the endives, and boil them in salted water, until tender.
• Prepare a bechamelle sauce:.
• Melt 2TB butter in a saucepan.
• Add flour and stir.
• Add milk a little at a time.
• Cook until thickened.
• Add grated Swiss cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (yes, nutmeg - you can leave it out if you would rather not have any).
• Drain the endives.
• Roll each endive in a slice of ham. Place in a rectangular baking dish.
• Pour the bechamelle over the rolled slices of ham. Sprinkle more Swiss cheese over the sauce. Dot with remaining butter.
• Place under the broiler until golden.

BELGIAN ENDIVE AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the endives and fry gently until lightly browned on all side. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Reheat the oil in the frying pan, add the peppers and sauté gently until they begin to soften. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the flour to the remaining oil in the pan and cook until lightly browned, stirring constantly.
• Add the milk a little at a time, mixing well between each addition and blend until the mixture is smooth.
• Remove the pan from the heat, add the cheeses, salt and pepper and stir until well blended.
• Stir in the sautéed peppers. Set aside.
• Wrap each endive in a piece of ham and place in a shallow ovenproof dish side by side.
• Cover with cheese and pepper sauce and bake for about 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and brown. Serve hot garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

BRAISED BELGIAN ENDIVE GRATIN

Steps:

• In a heavy kettle combine the endives, cut sides down, in two layers, the lemon juice, the butter, the salt, the sugar, and the broth, cover the mixture with a buttered round of wax paper and the lid, and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the endives are very tender, and transfer them with a slotted spoon, cut sides down, to a buttered gratin dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. In a small bowl stir together the Gruyère and the bread crumbs, sprinkle the mixture evenly over the endives, and broil the gratin under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the cheese is melted.

BELGIAN ENDIVE AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Lightly grease a baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the endives into the water. Cover, and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place the butter into a saucepan, and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and golden brown. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture, whisking constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until well blended. Cook gently over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Preheat an oven broiler to low.
• Drain the endives. Wrap each endive with a slice of ham, and place into the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the endives. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese and parsley.
• Cook the endives under preheated broiler until cheese is golden brown and sauce bubbles, about 10 minutes.