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Chicons au gratin
Belgian endives baked in cheese sauce (vegetarian, without the ham)
Chicons au gratin, or witloof in de oven in Flemish, is the winter Sunday dish of Belgian grandmothers: whole heads of Belgian endive braised until silky, then baked in a nutmeg-scented cheese sauce until bubbling and brown. Endive was first forced in the dark cellars around Brussels in the 1800s, and it is still grown in the fields of Flemish Brabant. Traditionally each chicon is rolled in a slice of cooked ham; this vegetarian version leaves the ham out and lets the gentle bitterness of the endive meet the sweetness of the cheese. Serve it with mashed potato or crusty bread. Chef's tip: squeeze the braised endives firmly in a clean towel before they go in the dish; they hold a lot of water, and skipping this turns the sauce thin and watery in the oven.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the endives
For the cheese sauce
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Melt ⅔ oz butter in a wide pan over a medium heat. Lay in 8 Belgian endives (chicons), sprinkle with 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice, cover and cook gently for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part and they are lightly golden.
25 minStep 2: Lift out, cool for a few minutes, then squeeze each one firmly in a clean tea towel to press out the juices.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and butter a baking dish that fits the endives snugly.
Step 4: For the sauce, melt 1 ⅜ oz butter in a pan over a medium heat, stir in 1 ⅜ oz plain flour and cook for 1 minute until it smells biscuity but has not coloured. Whisk in 2 ½ cups whole milk a little at a time and simmer, whisking, for 4–5 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon.
6 minStep 5: Take off the heat and stir in two thirds of 3 ½ oz Gruyère or Emmental, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper.
Step 6: Lay the endives in the dish, pour over the sauce and scatter with the rest of 1 ¾ oz Gruyère or Emmental.
Step 7: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is blistered golden brown and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
22 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicons au gratin take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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