Parisian Bistro Memories with a Classic French Gratin

Parisian Bistro memories on the table today with a simple gratin of endives and ham in a béchamel sauce.  

Kat from Mulberry-Pomegranate has shared with us her French Classic Gratin of Endives with Béchamel Sauce. 

You may know the traditional French Gratin Dish as the Dauphinois variety, hailing from Dauphiné (a former province of southeastern France).  In this recipe, Kat has chosen the Belgian variety typically from Northern France and Belgium using endives "chicons". 

Perfect for cooking a hearty Winter meal, 

Bon Appétit! 

Gratin of Endives & Ham in a Béchamel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

4 large endives
1/2 tsp salt
4 slices of smoked ham

For the béchamel sauce:
¼ cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose plain flour
2 cups milk
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Emmental cheese

METHOD

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the endives and salt, and simmer for 45 minutes until the endives are fork-tender. Take the endives out and transfer into a sieve to drain and cool. Once the endives are cool enough to handle, squeeze them gently and drain all the excess water. Halve each endive.

Make the Béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle with the flour and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until a thick paste forms. Using a whisk, add the milk slowly, stirring constantly. Bring to a slow boil, and keep stirring until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in half of the cheese, season to taste.

Cut the ham slices in half and then wrap each halved endive in a slice of ham and place them in a baking dish. Cover with the béchamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, and finish with 2-3 minutes under the grill. Let cool before serving at room temperature.

Kat has a beautiful way with food which she shares at her blog Mulberry-Pomegranate.  You can read more about Kat here, and also enjoy many of her lovely recipes.  

FUN FACTS

• Endives are a prized ingredient in much of the local Northern French & Belgian cuisine
• They are the emblem of the region
• The North of France is the biggest producer of endives in the world

Featured

Food Blogger:  Katrina Kallos - Mulberry-Pomegranate
Recipe:  Gratin of Endives and Ham in a Béchamel Sauce
Glass:  La Rochere Bee Wine Glass
Cutlery:  Tojours Laguiole Cutlery Set
Serving Spoons:  Laguiole Luxe Salad Servers
Plates & Bowls - Stylists Own