Braised endive gratin
SERVES 6
We often cook and serve endive in the autumn and winter months,
when they are readily available at the market. We enjoy them in
salads with other greens, roasted with just a drizzle of olive oil, salt
and pepper, or braised in flavourful vegetable or chicken stock.
When shopping, look for fresh endive that are compact and crisp,
bright in colour and unblemished.
2 garlic cloves, bruised
2 tbsp butter, plus extra
for greasing
3-4 slices day-old bread or
lightly toasted fresh bread
9 small Belgian endive (witlof)
960 ml chicken stock
18 slices jambon cru (dry-cured
ham) or prosciutto
125 ml thickened cream
220 gm finely grated Comté
or Gruyère
1 Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Rub the base and sides of six
individual 375ml gratin dishes
with the bruised garlic then
butter the dishes.
2 Tear the bread into pieces,
place them in a blender and
pulse until coarsely ground.
3 Halve the endive lengthways,
remove any rough outer leaves,
and trim the root ends, then
place cut-side down in one
layer in a large, deep frying
pan. Add the chicken stock
and bring to the boil, then
reduce the heat and braise,
adjusting the heat as needed
to maintain a simmer, until just
tender (3-5 minutes). Transfer
endive to a plate and set aside
until cool enough to handle;
reserve stock.
4 Use a paring knife to remove
the tough root ends of the
endive, being careful not to
separate the leaves. Season to
taste, then wrap each endive
half in a slice of jambon cru.
5 Spoon 1 tbsp cream into
each gratin dish. Place three
endive halves, cut-side down,
in each dish. Drizzle 1 tbsp
reserved chicken stock over
each endive (reserve remaining
stock for another use, such as
making soup). Cut the butter
into small pieces and scatter
over the gratin dishes, then
drizzle with the remaining
cream. Divide the cheese
among the dishes.
6 Place gratin dishes on
an oven tray and bake for
25 minutes, then sprinkle the
breadcrumbs over each gratin
dish and bake until bubbling
and the breadcrumbs are nicely
browned (about 5 minutes).
Serve immediately.➤