Gratin d'Endives au Jambon (Chicory and Ham Gratin)
Tender braised chicory wrapped in ham and baked in a golden cheese sauce, a much loved French and Belgian family supper.
Made with Cheese sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.99 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Peel the potatoes, cut into chunks and boil in salted water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and mash with a small knob of butter and a splash of milk.
15 min - 2
Meanwhile, trim the base of each chicory and cut out the small cone-shaped core. Put the heads in a pan with water to cover, the lemon juice, sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until a knife slides in easily.
13 min - 3
Drain the chicory well and press gently with kitchen paper. Water left in them is what makes this dish watery, so dry them well.
- 4
Warm your ready made cheese sauce (see the base recipe) in a small pan until just pourable, adding a little milk if needed.
- 5
Wrap each chicory in 2 slices of ham and lay them side by side in a buttered baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over and scatter with the gruyere.
- 6
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve with the mash.
23 min
Tips
- Chicory turns bitter if cooked too hard. The lemon juice and pinch of sugar in the cooking water soften the edge.
- Squeeze the cooked heads gently in a clean tea towel to remove extra water before wrapping, or the sauce will thin out.
- A dusting of nutmeg over the sauce is traditional and goes well with the ham.
Storing and freezing
Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a {t180} oven for 20 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. Not ideal to freeze, as chicory goes watery.
Questions
Why is my chicory gratin bitter?
The core and overcooking cause bitterness. Cut out the small cone at the base and add a little lemon juice and sugar to the cooking water, then drain very well.
Can I use leeks or cauliflower instead?
Yes. Leeks wrapped in ham work well, but chicory is the classic. Boil leeks for 8 minutes and cauliflower florets for 6 minutes before adding the sauce.
What cheese is traditional?
Gruyere or comte is usual in France and Belgium. Mature cheddar works well too and is easy to find in the UK.
More made with cheese sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.