Belgian endive (witloof) wrapped in ham and covered in béchamel and cheese, then baked. Also called chicons au gratin, a classic of Belgian cooking.

Belgian endive, witloof in Dutch and chicon in French, is grown in the dark so that its leaves stay pale. Dutch Wikipedia calls it a 19th-century creation: Frans Bresiers forced chicory roots in a mushroom cellar at the Brussels botanical garden between 1826 and 1836, and it was first sold on the Brussels market in 1867. The popular story of Jan Lammers finding it by chance around 1830 is folk tradition. Chicons au gratin, endives in béchamel with cheese and often wrapped in ham, is a classic of Belgian cooking.

Where to eat Witloof met Hesp en Kaas in Bruges

The editor picks for Witloof met Hesp en Kaas in Bruges are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Bruges signature-dishes index or the Bruges food guide.

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hr 10 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 8 large heads Belgian endive (witloof), about 1.2kg total
  • 300ml chicken stock or water with 1 stock cube
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 60g unsalted butter (divided)
  • 8 large slices good cooked Belgian ham (sliced 3 to 4mm thick, about 400g total)
  • For the bechamel: 50g unsalted butter, 50g all-purpose flour, 700ml whole milk (warmed), pinch of grated nutmeg, sea salt, white pepper
  • 200g Gruyere cheese, grated (or a mix of Gruyere and aged Belgian Passendale)
  • 2 tbsp panko or fresh white breadcrumbs, optional for crunch

Method

  1. Trim the base of each endive and remove any bruised outer leaves. Use the tip of a knife to dig out the bitter conical core from the base.
  2. Bring the chicken stock to a low simmer in a wide pan with the sugar, lemon juice and 30g butter. Lay the endives in the pan, cover and braise 20 minutes, turning once, until tender (a knife slides through with little resistance).
  3. Lift the endives out and drain on a clean cloth, squeezing very gently to remove excess liquid (do not crush the heads, but they must be dry; soggy endive ruins the gratin).
  4. Make the bechamel: melt 50g butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, cook 2 minutes to a blond roux. Whisk in the warm milk gradually until thick and smooth (about 5 minutes simmering). Season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
  5. Off the heat, whisk in 100g of the grated Gruyere until it melts into the sauce.
  6. Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 fan). Butter a gratin dish.
  7. Wrap each braised endive with a slice of ham, laying the wrapped endives in the gratin dish side by side, all facing the same direction.
  8. Pour the cheese bechamel evenly over the top, covering completely.
  9. Scatter the remaining 100g Gruyere over the bechamel; sprinkle the panko on top if using.
  10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until the top is bubbling and deeply golden brown, with charred edges where the cheese has caramelised.
  11. Rest 5 minutes, then serve hot in shallow bowls with steamed potatoes or a hunk of crusty country bread on the side.

Editor tip. The bitter cone at the base of each endive is essential to remove; it is what makes commercial versions taste bitter and watery. Press the braised endives very lightly to remove water without crushing; soggy endives flood the bechamel and the dish never gratinates properly.

Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten.