Braised Belgian endives wrapped in ham, covered with béchamel and cheese and baked until bubbling. A northern French winter supper, bittersweet and creamy, made with supermarket endives, plain cooked ham and Oka.
I grew up with endives au jambon, and I'll admit it's an acquired taste. The bitterness is what you notice first, and the ham, the béchamel and the browned cheese are what win you over.
Braised, endive is much milder than the raw leaves you see in salads here, which makes this a good way in for anyone who thinks they don't like it. In Canada I'd pick Oka for the top: its punch stands up to the endive, where a mild cheese just disappears.
Endives au jambon is the winter gratin of northern France and Belgium: whole endives braised soft, rolled in ham, covered with béchamel and cheese, and baked. The endive turns sweet, with a bitter edge that the creamy sauce rounds off.
Choosing endives in a Canadian store
Belgian endive is sold in most supermarkets here, usually near the specialty lettuces, and it costs more than in France. Pick tight, pale heads with yellow tips. Green tips taste more bitter, and soft or brown-edged heads have been sitting too long.
The watery gratin problem
Endives are full of water. Braise them first and squeeze them gently in a tea towel, or the sauce turns thin and the gratin swims.
Which cheese goes on top?
In France it's Gruyère or Emmental. Oka, a Quebec washed-rind cheese, melts into the béchamel and browns on top. For a milder gratin, use a Swiss-style Gruyère or Emmental. The cheese guide lists both.
Making it in Canada
The 2 French ingredients, and what to buy for them in Canada.
Jambon blanc→Plain cooked ham (unsmoked), sliced about 3 mm
A slice that thick wraps a whole endive without tearing; shaved ham splits as you roll it. Jambon blanc is cooked and unsmoked, so skip Black Forest, honey and toupie hams: smoke and sugar fight with the endive's bitterness.
🛒 At a deli counter, ask for plain cooked ham or prosciutto cotto, sliced about 3 mm. Prepackaged, Mastro Prosciutto Cotto comes in 125 g packs on Voilà, and Real Canadian Superstore sells Mastro's lean prosciutto cotto sliced by weight. Check that the label says cooked, not smoked.
Gruyère ou emmental râpé→Oka (Original or Aged), rind trimmed
Oka melts smoothly into the béchamel and browns on top, the two jobs Gruyère does here, and its punch suits the bitter endive. Trim the rind and grate it cold. Skip pre-shredded mozzarella blends: they go rubbery and barely brown.
🛒 Oka Original and Oka Aged, in 190 g wedges, are at Walmart and on Voilà. For a milder gratin: Emmi Swiss Gruyère (150 g) at Walmart; Metro lists Swiss Gruyère at its deli cheese counter; Président Emmental (220 g) is at Walmart.
Good to know: Endives are at their best and cheapest in winter. Keep them in their wrapping, in the dark, in the fridge drawer, so the tips stay pale.
Ready to cook?
Ham-Wrapped Endive Gratin
Endives au jambon
Braised Belgian endives wrapped in ham, covered with béchamel and cheese and baked until bubbling. A northern French winter supper, bittersweet and creamy, made with supermarket endives, plain cooked ham and Oka.
Prep time
25 min
Cook time
55 min
Resting time
5 min
Total time
1 hr 25 min
Servings
4
Rest the gratin 5 minutes out of the oven so the sauce settles.
Ingredients
Original recipe: 4 servings.
Instructions
Braise the endives. Trim the bases. Melt 30 g butter in a large pan with a lid, add the endives in one layer with the sugar, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 100 mL water. Cover and cook over low heat 25–30 minutes, turning once, until a knife slides in easily and they're lightly golden.
Make the béchamel. While the endives braise, melt 50 g butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and simmer 5 minutes, whisking, until it coats the spoon thickly. Off the heat, stir in half the cheese and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Drain well. Let the endives cool a little, then press each one gently in a clean tea towel to squeeze out the water.
Assemble. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Wrap each endive in a slice of ham and lay them side by side in a buttered baking dish. Pour over the béchamel and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
Bake. Bake 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate; add 10 minutes to the baking time.
If the gratin still releases water, pour it off before serving and give it 5 more minutes.
When endives are scarce or too pricey, the same dish works with leeks (poireaux au jambon): cut the white parts of 4 large leeks in half crosswise, simmer them in salted water about 15 minutes until tender, then squeeze and wrap them like the endives.
Serve with boiled potatoes or a slice of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Course: Mains · Cuisine: French · Adapted for Canadian kitchens
Made this? Send it to whoever you're cooking for next, or pin it for later.
