Ham and endives au gratin

A recipe from cooking-ez.com

For 6 people, you will need:

• 1 1 kg endives (head of chicory)
• 2 250 g ham
• 3 250 g smoked cheese
• 4 1 shallot
• 5 50 g semi-salted butter
• 6 parsley
• 7 ½ lemon
• 8 350 g bechamel sauce
• 9 salt
• 10 pepper
• Total weight: 1,990 grams

Times:

Preparation	Cooking	Start to finish
35 min.	40 min.	1 hour 15 min.

Step by step recipe

• 1: Prepare and slice 1 kg endives (head of chicory).
  Set aside.
• 2: Cut 250 g ham into small pieces.
  Set aside.
  Note: I'm using ham heel here, but slices will work just as well.
• 3: Cut 250 g smoked cheese (here raclette cheese) into small pieces.
  Set aside.
• 4: Slice 1 shallot.
• 5: In a large frying pan or saucepan over high heat, melt 50 g semi-salted butter and when it has melted and begun to brown slightly (it's a beurre noisette) add the chopped shallot and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
• 6: Add the endives and mix well.
  Cook for approx. 3-5 minutes, until just tender.
• 7: Add the ham and mix well.
• 8: Add the chopped parsley and ½ lemon juice.
  Mix one last time, check the seasoning and remove from the heat.
• 9:

  Assembling the gratin

  
  Preheat your oven to 180°C (360°F).
  Butter a gratin dish and pour the endives + ham into the bottom.
• 10: Pour over 350 g bechamel sauce.
• 11: Finish with the diced cheese.
• 12: Bake for about 50 minutes at 180°C (360°F).

Remarks

You can also bake it in individual cassolettes rather than in a traditional oven dish.
When you prepare the béchamel sauce, you can add a little of the same cheese as in the recipe at the end of cooking, for an even more pronounced taste.

---