Witloof met Kaas en Hesp
Belgian endive braised with ham and melted cheese in a creamy sauce. A comforting, oven-baked dish that balances bitter greens with salty pork and rich, tender results.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 8 heads Belgian endive (witloof)
- 250 g sliced ham (pork)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 150 g Gruyère or Emmental cheese, shredded
- 1 pinch salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep signals it has preheated, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Hold each endive head under cold running water and gently peel away yellowed or damaged outer leaves, turning as you go, until you reach the pale green leaves at the center.
- 3
Place each endive head stem-side down on the cutting board and slice straight down lengthwise from the stem to the tip, creating two halves; repeat for all endives.
- 4
Unroll each slice of ham and wrap one around each endive half so the ham covers most of the surface, then lay the wrapped endives seam-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 5
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, about 90 seconds, until it stops foaming and looks clear.
- 6
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until the mixture looks like wet sand, so the flour cooks out.
- 7
Pour 1.5 cups of milk slowly into the flour mixture while whisking continuously to prevent lumps, then keep whisking until the sauce is smooth and no streaks of flour remain.
- 8
Continue heating the sauce over medium heat, stirring once every 20 seconds, until it thickens enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a trail, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 9
Add a pinch of salt and black pepper to the sauce, stir once, then taste a spoonful and adjust seasoning to your preference.
- 10
Pour the warm sauce evenly over the wrapped endive halves in the baking dish, making sure the sauce flows around and under them.
- 11
Scatter 150 grams of shredded cheese in an even layer across the top of the entire dish, so the sauce is mostly covered.
- 12
Slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling around the edges.
- 13
Remove the dish from the oven using oven mitts and let it cool for 2 minutes before serving, so the sauce sets slightly and you won't burn your mouth.
Tools you’ll need
- oven
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon
- whisk
- box grater or microplane
- oven mitts
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