History

Belgian endive (witloof in Flemish, chicons in French) was discovered in Brussels in the 1830s when farmer Jan Lammers stored chicory roots in his dark cellar and noticed pale shoots growing from the buried roots. Belgian growers refined the technique through the 19th century to produce the canonical pale spear-shaped vegetable; today over 90 percent of global endive production is in Belgium. The classic preparation (witloof met hesp en kaas, or chicon au gratin) appeared in late 19th-century Belgian cookbooks. Bruges spots like Den Amand and Brasserie Cambrinus run reliable versions.

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Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 35 minTotal 1 hr 10 minDifficulty Easy

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.

Tip from the editors. 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.

Where to eat witloof met hesp en kaas

Witloof met Hesp en Kaas in Bruges

Den Amand ★ 4.5

€€ Belgian-french BistroMarkt

Den Amand is a small family bistro off the Markt in Bruges, on car-free Sint-Amandsstraat, where Ann Vissers cooks seasonal vegetable, fish and meat dishes.

OrderWhatever the monthly menu is built around; vegetables get a generous hand here.

TipClosed Wednesday and Sunday. The room is tiny, so reserve, especially in summer.

Directions Book

Bistro Refter ★ 4.7

€€€ Contemporary BelgianSint Anna

Bistro Refter in Bruges is Geert Van Hecke's contemporary bistro on Molenmeers, the relaxed counterpart to his fine-dining room. Good food at fair prices.

OrderThe daily three-course menu; it is the value way into Van Hecke's cooking.

TipBook ahead, the dining room fills fast at lunch. It sits near the Sint-Anna quarter.

Directions

Gran Kaffee De Passage ★ 3.9

€ BelgianT Zand

Gran Kaffee De Passage on Dweersstraat in Bruges plates cheap, generous Belgian classics like stoofvlees by candlelight, by a hostel near 't Zand.

TryStoofvlees and Belgian classics

TipA full beer-braised plate stays well under 20 euro. Weeknight walk-ins are usually fine.

Directions

De Republiek ★ 4.0

€€ CafeSint JakobsUntil Late, the courtyard runs on

De Republiek on Sint-Jakobsstraat in Bruges keeps its courtyard and bar running late, a grand cafe by the arthouse cinema that draws a younger local crowd.

TryGrand-cafe plates and drinks

TipThe courtyard fills on warm nights. The kitchen closes before the bar, so eat early and keep drinking late.

Directions

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