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Chicons au gratin plate
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5 from 2 votes

Chicons au gratin Belgian

Chicons au gratin is a traditional Belgian dish that is pure yummy delight during the winter as it provides comfort and warmth.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Ingredient, Main Dish
Cuisine: Belgian
Keyword: Fall, Winter
Servings: 8 persons
Author: Belgian Foodie

Ingredients

Braised Belgian Endives

Mornay Sauce

Other Ingredients

  • 500 g ham baked and sliced (See notes)
  • 30 g cheese grated (same mix as in Mornay sauce)

Instructions

  • Wash the Belgian endives and slice them in half (in the length).
    Half Chicons
  • Prepare according to the instructions found at https://belgianfoodie.com/recipe/braised-belgian-endives/
    Braised Chicons
  • Put the braised Belgian endives in a colander over a bowl and let drain excess liquid. Keep the liquid for later step.
  • Prepare 1 recipe of Mornay sauce according to the instructions found at https://belgianfoodie.com/recipe/mornay-sauce/.
  • Use a spatula to remove some of the excess liquid from the Belgian endives (with the little bits remaining) and add it to the Mornay sauce. Mix. Watch not to put too much liquid inside or else the Mornay sauce might become too thin.
  • Spoon some Mornay sauce on the bottom of your casserole dish so that it is about 2/3 covered.
  • Wrap each half of Belgian endive in a slice of baked ham. Wrap tightly without breaking the ham. Put each Belgian endive seam side down in a casserole dish. Depending on the size of the slice of ham (and how much you like ham) you might use a half slice for each half Belgian endive.
  • Continue wrapping each half of Belgian endive in the same way and place each rolled Belgian endive close beside the others. Continue in this way until all Belgian endives and ham are used. If you have too many Belgian endives or slices of ham, just add them to the casserole. A little extra of either ingredient won't hurt. You can prepare either 1 or 2 casseroles dishes. I often place 2 layers of rolled Belgian endives in a single casserole dish.
    Wrapped chicons
  • Spread some sauce on top of each layer of rolled Belgian endives. Sprinkle a little of the extra grated cheese on top of each layer of Belgian endives. Keep any extra sauce to serve with the mashed potatoes at the table.
    Chicons au gratin before oven
  • Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F). Place the casserole dish(es) in top half of the oven. Cook about 40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
    Chicons au gratin finished
  • Serve the casserole of chicons au gratin with mashed potatoes and any remaining Mornay sauce.

Notes

Try to avoid overly sweet baked ham (such as honey ham) as they may dominate the finished dish.  I enjoy it with Prosciutto di Parma ham, except the slices of Parma ham often break as you wrap them around the Belgian endives.  If you don't mind a less attractive dish, try it sometime. If you cannot find Belgian endives or do not like them, replace the Belgian endives with white celery or even cauliflower.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Chicons au gratin Belgian
Amount Per Serving
Calories 423 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 17g
Cholesterol 59mg20%
Sodium 1161mg50%
Potassium 806mg23%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 0IU0%
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 0mg0%
Iron 0mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.