May 15, 2013 H 18
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/floridaagenda
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BELGIAN ENDIVE, HAM, AND CHEESE AU GRATIN
RECIPE
BY CHEF JEAN DOHERTY
T
he Belgian endive has an ivorywhite head with pale yellowedged, closely wrapped leaves, a mildly bitter flavor, and tender juicy texture. You can eat them raw in salads or cooked; braised or au gratin as follows. • 8 Belgian Endives, cored. (Slice off about 1/8th inch from the stem end. Then, with paring knife, cut a cone shape about 1/2-inch deep from the stem end. This is hard & bitter. Dump it.) • 2 or 3 cups of grated cheese (Feel free to work with what you’ve got cheese-wise. I like the melting properties and the taste of Gruyere, but anything heady and luscious will do.) • 8 Slices of ham (Use your favorite, smoked, honey baked, whatever...) • Béchamel sauce Lightly grease a baking dish. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the cored endives into the water. Cover, and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well. I usually wrap them in kitchen paper, and give them a squeeze to get a lot of that moisture out. Prepare your béchamel
sauce. Don’t forget the nutmeg. Preheat your oven at 400˚. Wrap each endive with a slice of ham, and place into the prepared baking dish. Pour the béchamel sauce over the endives. Sprinkle with the cheese. Are you drinking Martinis before dinner??? Fine… 20 minutes before you get totally ripped, bung the dish in the oven, and tell someone more responsible to check when the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling….Beautiful!! You can also make this dish with leeks it is equally delicious. Although born in Dublin, Ireland, Chef Jean Doherty spent most of her life in Lyon, France, the gastronomical capital of the world. Together with Vero, her partner of 25 years, Jean has owned and run multiple restaurants including Fort Lauderdale’s Le Patio.