Endives wrapped in ham, served in a cheese sauce. This is a very French way of cooking Endives, and interestingly our very first meal we prepared in France.
This is a wonderful rustic French dish, perfect as a main course along with a green salad with mustard vinaigrette.
INGREDIENTS Serves 4
110 g unsalted butter
8 small endives,
Salt and pepper
juice of a lemon
For the Endives Au Gratin
8 braised endives ( see above)
8 thin slices of prosciutto
100g Gruyère cheese grated
50gr breadcrumbs
METHOD
Preheat oven to 170C
Melt the 110g butter in a oven proof pan over a low heat. Add the endive spears and cook, turning them occasionally, until they are starting to colour slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice , and allow the endives to bubble. Add a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours
Wrap each endive with slices of ham. Arrange the endive in a shallow baking dish that holds them snugly; you don’t want any space between the endive.
Turn the oven up to 190C
Pour the béchamel over the endive and spread to cover them evenly. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and increase the temperature to 230⁰C
Sprinkle the cheese and breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
Cook at the top of the oven for a further 5 minute until golden and bubbling
Original recipe Simon Hopkinson
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