- 8 medium or 4 large endives
- 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] sugar
- 1 tablespoon [15 mL] lemon juice
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] chicken broth or water
- Butter
- 8 thin slices [5 ounces / 150 g] cooked ham
- 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] cheese sauce [below]
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] grated cheese
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] dry bread crumbs
Cheese sauce
- 3 tablespoons [45 mL] unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons [45 mL] flour
- 1 cup [250 mL] milk
- 3/4 cup [190 mL] cooking endive liquid or chicken stock
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] grated cheese
- Ground pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
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- Trim ends of endives and remove cores; half larger endives lentghwise.
- Arrange endives into a medium-size heavy saucepan.
- Sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
- Pour in chicken broth or water; cover and simmer over low heat until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare cheese sauce.
- Drain endives, reserving liquid.
- Press excess moisture from endives.
- Wrap each endive or endive half into a slice of ham; arrange into a lightly buttered oven-safe dish, large enough to lay endives into a single layer.
- Pour cheese sauce all over endives.
- At this point, this dish may be covered and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before baking.
- Combine grated cheese and bread crumbs; sprinkle all over endives.
- Bake into a preheated 375°F [190°C] oven for 30 minutes, until bubbling hot and golden.
Cheese sauce
- Melt unsalted butter into a medium-size heavy saucepan.
- Stir in flour; cook, stirring, until mixture bubbles, for approximately 2 minutes; do not let brown.
- Heat together milk, endive cooking liquid or chicken stock; blend into butter/flour mixture.
- Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens.
- Blend in grated cheese, stirring until melted.
- Season with pepper and salt.
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