Baked chicory

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 6 chicory
• 6 slices of cooked ham
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• ½ liter of milk
• 100 g medium-aged Gouda
• breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper
• nutmeg

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Clean the chicory and cut out the bitter core in a wedge shape (the wedge doesn’t need to be large; today’s varieties aren’t particularly bitter). Blanch in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon, and drain well. Meanwhile, melt the butter, sprinkle in the flour, and sauté while stirring. Gradually add the half liter of milk, whisking vigorously. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, while grating the cheese. Melt the cheese in the sauce; the amount depends on your taste, but 100g is best. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Wrap each chicory in a slice of ham. Place them all next to each other in a buttered baking dish and baste with the sauce. Finally, top with breadcrumbs and knobs of butter. Bake at 200°C for about 25 minutes. This goes well with fresh baguette and a beer or a strong white wine, such as a white Bordeaux Entre-deux-Mers.