Get Creative with Belgian Endive

The question 'What's for dinner?' is often met with 'I have no idea', 'Any suggestions?' or a huff and a puff accompanied by a headshake. The cook is fresh out of ideas. The situation gets even more complicated when a dinner party is pending. The hostess (or in many cases the host) wants to put something unique on the table but cookbooks and online recipes leave her scratching her head.

How about something new, something very few people know how to make? I'm referring to Belgian endive in ham topped with cheese sauce. Belgian endive has a slightly bitter taste, but the sweetness of the ham and the cheese sauce make for a delectable combination. Your guests will be in awe and are guaranteed to be asked you for the recipe. Up to you to share your newfound wisdom or to make it a closely guarded secret.

The ingredients

If you're cooking for four people, you'll need four sticks of Belgian endive, four big slices of cooked ham, flour, butter, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and water.

The preparation

Perfect Belgian endive is snow white with light green tips. Select four endives of more or less the same size. Wash the veggie under cold running water and remove the outer layer. Usually no more than two leaves. Do not cut the stems off the endive as the stem is what keeps the leaves from peeling off during cooking. Add a flat tablespoon of salt to a pot of water, and bring the water and the endive to a boil. Let the endive boil for five or seven minutes. Test the softness by inserting a knifepoint into the stem of the endive. When soft, remove the endive from the water and place it in a strainer.

The sauce

To prepare the sauce, melt two tablespoons of butter in a pot. Remove from heat and add three tablespoons of flour. Mix the flour and the butter thoroughly with a whisk. Add, little by little, the cooking water from the endive to the flour. Whisk until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and add cheese.

Final touch

Roll each stick of endive in a slice of ham and secure the roll with a toothpick. Then place the endive in a fire-resistant oven tray. Pour the sauce over the endive in ham. Sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Place a small piece of butter on each stick. Place the dish in the oven and grill until the melted butter and the bread crumbs turn golden.

If you don't have any flour in the house, you don't trust yourself to make the sauce, or you just can't be bothered, a white sauce, cheese sauce or Bearnaise sauce from a packet works just as well. Don't go for an Alfredo sauce though. Alfredo sauce is too strong and will overpower the taste of the Belgian endive.

This dish is best served with boiled potatoes.

As a salad

If you like the idea of Belgian endive but the above recipe seems like too much work, you can also serve the endive as a salad. Simply wash the endive, remove the outer layer and remove the stem. Cut the endive into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add salt and pepper and a dollop of mayonnaise or unsweetened yogurt. Mix thoroughly.

With its unique crisp tanginess, the endive salad is perfect to be served as a side dish with a barbecue.

Buy Belgian endive on the day you want to prepare either of these dishes or as close to the day as possible. Store at the bottom of the fridge, preferably in the blue paper the veggie comes in or covered with brown paper. Belgian endive does not like light and will turn brown if left uncovered.