Endives au Jambon
Belgian endive rolled in ham, baked in bechamel
Ingredients
- 4 heads Frisee lettuce
- 8 slices Ham
- 40 g Butter
- 30 g 00 flour
- 400 ml Milk
- 100 g Gruyere cheese
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Braise the endives in a little butter and water until tender, then drain and wrap each in ham.
- Make a white sauce: melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then whisk in the milk a little at a time until smooth and thick. Season with nutmeg and stir in half the cheese.
- Lay the wrapped endives in a baking dish, pour the white sauce over them, and scatter the rest of the cheese on top.
- Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.
- Rest briefly, then serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Endives au Jambon
Endives au jambon is a cornerstone of Belgian and northern French home cooking: whole Belgian endives braised until tender, wrapped in slices of ham, and baked under a blanket of cheesy béchamel. The dish turns on a deliberate play of bitter and rich. Braising tames the endive's natural bitterness into something mellow and silky, while the ham adds salt and savor and the creamy sauce blankets it all. Gruyère and a whisper of nutmeg give the béchamel its nutty, gently spiced depth.
Making it well is really about the white sauce: cooking the flour in butter for a minute before whisking in milk a little at a time keeps it smooth and lump-free, and folding in cheese off the heat gives it body without graininess. Baked until golden and bubbling, the top browns while the endives stay soft beneath. It is winter comfort food, traditionally served as a main with bread or boiled potatoes to catch the sauce. High in protein and low in carbs, it is filling without being heavy, and the components can be prepped ahead and baked when you're ready to eat.
Endives au Jambon: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Endives au Jambon?
A serving has about 405 calories — 20.7g protein, 18.2g carbs, 28.4g fat, 6.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Endives au Jambon gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains 00 flour. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Endives au Jambon dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Butter, Milk, Gruyere cheese. Swapping those for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Endives au Jambon take to make?
About 45 minutes start to finish, but only around 27 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Endives au Jambon?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out nutmeg — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Endives au Jambon make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.