Endive Au Gratin

by Henry Harris, featured in The Racine Effect

Published by Quadrille

Print me

Introduction

This is the best comfort dish on earth. As a child, cauliflower cheese held this title, but I can still remember Simon making this at Hilaire and wanting to take it away and eat it in a quiet corner. When braised well, the flavour of chicory concentrates and retains a gentle bitterness, which contrasts beautifully with a Comté-heavy mornay sauce. A good Rhône white and a salad and all the boxes are ticked.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

The Racine Effect

Image of Henry Harris' Endive Au Gratin — Photo by Sam Folan

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric U.S.

600 millilitres full fat milk
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
1 small onion (sliced)
2 parsley stalks (if you have them)
80 grams unsalted butter
4 heads of white chicory
50 grams plain flour
200 grams Comté (grated)
4 slices of cooked ham
freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

20 fluid ounces whole milk
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
1 small onion (sliced)
2 parsley stalks (if you have them)
2¾ ounces unsalted butter
4 heads of white endive
1¾ ounces all-purpose flour
7 ounces Comté (grated)
4 slices of cooked ham
freshly grated nutmeg (to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Endive Au Gratin is a guest recipe by Henry Harris so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (350°F).
Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the bay leaf, peppercorns, onion and parsley stalks (if using). Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to steep for 1 hour.
Melt half the butter in a heavy ovenproof pan over a medium heat and when it is just starting to foam, add the chicory with a seasoning of salt, pepper and a good rasping of freshly grated nutmeg. Reduce the heat and cook gently for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until nicely coloured on all sides. Now cover the pan loosely with foil and cook in the oven for 40–60 minutes, or until completely tender.
While the chicory is cooking, make the béchamel. Reheat the infused milk to boiling point and then strain it into a jug.
Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then pour in the hot milk in a confident, steady stream while whisking with reasonable force. Keep whisking over a gentle heat for a good 5 minutes until you have a thick, glossy sauce. Season with a pinch of cayenne pepper, then add two-thirds of the cheese and stir it in with a wooden spoon or spatula. Keep stirring until it has melted into the sauce. Check and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Preheat the grill to high.
Remove the chicory from the oven. The outer leaves will need to be removed as they will be quite brown and crispy. Wrap each chicory in a piece of ham and then place them collectively in a gratin dish or singly in individual ones.
Spoon over the hot mornay sauce, then scatter over the remaining cheese. Cook under the grill until the gratin is bubbling in a positive manner and has a golden crust. I tend to do this about 15–20 cm (6–8 inch) from the grill so that the heat penetrates through the whole dish without browning the top too quickly (you will know your grill better than I do). Serve immediately.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (350°F).
Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the bay leaf, peppercorns, onion and parsley stalks (if using). Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to steep for 1 hour.
Melt half the butter in a heavy ovenproof pan over a medium heat and when it is just starting to foam, add the chicory with a seasoning of salt, pepper and a good rasping of freshly grated nutmeg. Reduce the heat and cook gently for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until nicely coloured on all sides. Now cover the pan loosely with foil and cook in the oven for 40–60 minutes, or until completely tender.
While the chicory is cooking, make the béchamel. Reheat the infused milk to boiling point and then strain it into a jug.
Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then pour in the hot milk in a confident, steady stream while whisking with reasonable force. Keep whisking over a gentle heat for a good 5 minutes until you have a thick, glossy sauce. Season with a pinch of cayenne pepper, then add two-thirds of the cheese and stir it in with a wooden spoon or spatula. Keep stirring until it has melted into the sauce. Check and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Preheat the grill to high.
Remove the chicory from the oven. The outer leaves will need to be removed as they will be quite brown and crispy. Wrap each chicory in a piece of ham and then place them collectively in a gratin dish or singly in individual ones.
Spoon over the hot mornay sauce, then scatter over the remaining cheese. Cook under the grill until the gratin is bubbling in a positive manner and has a golden crust. I tend to do this about 15–20 cm (6–8 inch) from the grill so that the heat penetrates through the whole dish without browning the top too quickly (you will know your grill better than I do). Serve immediately.