Servings: 4 persons
Calories: 450kcal
Ingredients
Instructions
Preparing the Belgium endive
- Cut the chicory stalks in half and remove the hard core. Stew the Belgium endive in butter for a few minutes, then add a glass of water. Simmer gently until al dente. Toward the end, remove (and catch) the moisture and add some sugar to gently caramelize the Belgium endive. Drain the stems carefully to avoid excess moisture. Gently squeeze the Belgium endive with kitchen paper and place the stems on a rack to drain further. You can also lightly press the Belgium endive with a clean tea towel to remove even more moisture.
Formation of the Ham Rolls
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wrap each stalk of Belgium endive with a slice of cooked ham and arrange the rolls in a suitable baking dish.
Preparing the Bechamel Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour. Stir thoroughly to form a roux and cook for a few minutes, without discoloring the roux. Add the milk gradually, while continuing to stir to prevent clumping, until a homogeneous sauce forms. Simmer for a few minutes so that the sauce thickens. Add a dash of the braised chicory juice for extra flavor.
Preparation of the cheese sauce or mornay sauce
- Add the grated cheese and keep stirring until completely melted. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, lemon juice and a pinch of nutmeg for extra depth.
- Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the ham rolls in the baking dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180°C, or until the top has turned an attractive golden brown. Optionally, put on the grill for the last 5 minutes – but be careful then it can burn quickly!
- Serve the Ham rolls with Belgium endive warm, possibly accompanied by silky mashed potatoes for a complete meal.
Voedingswaarden
Calories: 450kcal
Tips
- For an extra dimension of flavor, add a small amount of mustard to the cheese sauce.
- Make sure the Belgium endive is well drained so that the dish is not too moist.
- Belgium endives can sometimes have a bitter taste, which can be difficult for children. To alleviate this, you can add sugar while stewing and, if necessary, use half a stalk of Belgium endive per roll.
