baked endive

I've not eaten a lot of endive in my life. But this recipe may change that. We've had this 3 times since Luisa posted the recipe. You can change up the type of ham, how many endive to cook, or the cheese for the top and it is delicious.

baked endive with cheddar cheese

Baked Endive with Ham (from Luisa at the Wednesday Chef)

4 endive, halved vertically

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 c milk

4 slices of ham, halved (black forest for example) or 8 smaller slices of ham (serrano for example)

2 oz of grated cheese (gruyere or cheddar)

Remove the tough outer leaves on the endive, half vertically and cut out the core. Place cut side down in a large saute pan. Once all the endive are prepared, pour the lemon juice over the endive. Season with salt and pepper and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes until the endive are tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, make the bechamel sauce by combining the butter, flour and milk in a saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk well until combined and heat for 5 minutes, until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper and a touch of nutmeg if desired.

Wrap each endive with a piece of ham, and place into a greased baking dish large enough to hold all the endive in a single layer. Cover the endive with the sauce and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top.

Bake at 400 deg F for 15-20 minutes until slightly brown and bubbly.



baked endive with gruyere cheese