Belgian Endive Gratin with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto: An Irresistible Casserole Recipe

Prepare to fall in love with chicory! This incredible **homemade** recipe for Belgian endive au gratin, featuring creamy goat cheese and savory Prosciutto ham, is designed to convert even the staunchest chicory skeptics. The naturally soft and slightly bitter Belgian endive is elegantly rolled in a slice of **salty** Prosciutto, then generously topped with bubbling, golden goat cheese. But the magic doesn’t stop there: a harmonious blend of sweet honey, zesty orange, fragrant thyme, and crunchy walnuts elevates this casserole to an even **better**, truly unforgettable dish. Often known simply as a chicory **gratin**, this particular preparation is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and a recipe to make everyone **fall in love** with chicory!

Do you typically shy away from chicory? Most people I know aren’t its biggest fans, often due to its characteristic bitterness. However, I am absolutely confident that once you experience Belgian endive prepared in this delectable chicory goat cheese casserole, they will be wholeheartedly convinced chicory lovers! In this recipe, the tender chicory is beautifully rolled in thin slices of Prosciutto ham, then crowned with a delightful medley of goat cheese, aromatic orange rind, sweet honey, fresh thyme, and crunchy walnuts. All of this goodness is then gently stewed in vibrant orange juice, creating a symphony of flavors and textures. Who could possibly resist such an enticing combination? This recipe offers a truly delicious and sophisticated variant to the more common chicory and ham cheese casserole.

This exquisite recipe is an adaptation from the insightful Dutch blog, Domaine Malpas kookt, bringing a touch of European culinary charm to your table.

Unlocking the Flavors: A Closer Look at the Ingredients

Each ingredient in this Belgian endive gratin plays a crucial role in creating a balanced and incredibly flavorful dish. Understanding their individual contributions and potential substitutions can help you tailor the recipe to your preferences.

• Chicory (Belgian Endive): This fresh vegetable is the star of our casserole. While many find its slightly bitter taste off-putting, it’s easily managed. The key is to cut off the very end of the chicory head and then halve it lengthwise. From each half, carefully cut out the tough, bitter core. This simple step makes a world of difference! While chicory is often enjoyed raw in salads, this oven-baked casserole truly highlights its tender texture and transforms its flavor profile into something truly special and sweet.
• Prosciutto: A thinly sliced, dried-cured Italian ham known for its delicate texture and distinctive salty flavor. When baked in the oven, Prosciutto crisps up beautifully, adding a wonderful textural contrast and a rich, umami depth to the dish. If Prosciutto isn’t available or preferred, you can easily substitute it with other cured hams like Parma ham or Coburger ham, or even regular bacon for a smokier twist.
• Goat Cheese: For this recipe, opt for a soft goat cheese. Its creamy texture makes it easy to crumble over the chicory, and it melts wonderfully in the oven, creating a gooey, tangy topping that complements the other flavors. If goat cheese isn’t to your taste, don’t worry! You can achieve a similar creamy, savory result with Blue cheese or opt for a milder, more familiar flavor by using a good quality grated cheese like Gouda, which will melt into a lovely golden crust.
• Orange: The orange is a dual-purpose ingredient in this casserole, providing both its fragrant rind and its sweet, tangy juice. The grated rind imparts a bright, citrusy aroma and flavor directly onto the dish. More importantly, stewing the chicory in orange juice during the baking process helps to mellow out any remaining bitterness, infusing the vegetable with a subtle sweetness and a delightful citrus note that brightens the entire dish.
• Honey, Thyme, and Walnuts: These three ingredients are the finishing touches that add layers of complex flavor and texture. The honey, drizzled over the top, caramelizes beautifully in the oven, adding a luscious sweetness and a sticky, irresistible glaze. Fresh thyme sprigs (or a sprinkle of dried thyme) introduce an earthy, herbaceous aroma that pairs perfectly with the cheese and orange. Finally, the walnuts provide a crucial crunch and a nutty richness, contrasting with the soft chicory and creamy cheese. They also toast slightly in the oven, enhancing their flavor.

🔪 How to Prepare This Delicious Chicory Goat Cheese Casserole

Creating this flavorful Belgian endive gratin is simpler than you might think. Follow these step-by-step instructions to achieve a perfectly cooked, golden-brown casserole that will impress your family and friends.

Step 1: Prepare the Chicory. Begin by thoroughly washing your chicory heads under cold water. Then, carefully slice off the bottom core (the butt end) of each chicory. Next, halve each chicory head lengthwise. With a small knife or a spoon, gently cut out and remove the bitter, conical core from the center of each chicory half. This step is crucial for reducing the bitterness. Bring a pan with about 2 inches (5 cm) of water to a rolling boil. Carefully place the chicory halves into the boiling water and cook for approximately 8 minutes. This parboiling step softens the chicory and further mutes its bitterness. Once cooked, gently remove them with tongs, ensuring the half heads stay intact, and let them drain thoroughly in a colander to remove excess water. Squeeze gently if needed.

Step 2: Grate and Juice the Orange. Wash the orange well. Using a fine grater or microplane, carefully grate the rind of the entire orange, making sure to avoid the white pith underneath, which can be bitter. Then, halve the orange and squeeze out all its juice. Set both the grated rind and the fresh orange juice aside, as they will be used to infuse the casserole with their vibrant citrus flavors.

Step 3: Prepare Chicory Rolls. Take a slice of Prosciutto and lay it flat on a clean surface. Place one half of the prepared chicory head onto one end of the Prosciutto slice. Carefully roll the Prosciutto around the chicory half, creating a neat bundle. Arrange these chicory and Prosciutto rolls snugly in a casserole dish. Repeat this process for all remaining chicory halves and Prosciutto slices, ensuring they fit comfortably in your baking dish.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake Your Chicory Goat Cheese Casserole. Once all the chicory rolls are in the casserole dish, pour the freshly squeezed orange juice evenly around them. Next, generously sprinkle the grated orange rind over the chicory. Crumble the soft goat cheese evenly over the top of the Prosciutto-wrapped chicory. Then, drizzle the honey in a zigzag pattern across the entire casserole. Finally, scatter the walnuts over the top for added texture. Place the casserole dish into a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn on your oven’s grill (broiler) function and continue baking for another 5 minutes, or until the goat cheese is bubbling, golden-brown, and slightly caramelized. Keep a close eye on it during this grilling phase to prevent burning. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Expert Tips and Delicious Variations

Here are some additional tips and creative variations to help you perfect this Belgian endive gratin or adapt it to your taste and pantry.

• **Alternative Core Removal:** While cutting out the core is effective, for a cleaner and quicker method, you can also use an apple corer to remove the bitter core of the chicory after slicing off the butt end.
• **Creamier Chicory:** For an even richer, more luxurious flavor, instead of boiling the chicory in water, you can gently stew it in a pan with a tablespoon or two of butter for about 10 minutes until tender. This adds a delicious creamy depth that pairs beautifully with the other ingredients.
• **No Pre-cooking Option:** If you’re short on time or prefer a firmer chicory texture, you can skip the parboiling step altogether. If you choose this, simply adjust your oven baking time to approximately 25 minutes before turning on the grill. Be aware that the chicory might retain a bit more of its natural bitterness and a slightly crisper texture.
• **Taming Bitterness with Milk:** If you find chicory’s bitterness particularly strong, a neat trick is to add about ¼ cup (50 ml) of milk to the water when you boil the chicory. The milk helps to neutralize some of the bitter compounds, resulting in a milder flavor.
• **Ham Substitutions:** As mentioned, Prosciutto can be substituted with Parma ham or Coburger ham for similar flavor profiles. For a heartier, smokier taste, good quality streaky bacon works wonderfully and will crisp up nicely.
• **Cheese Alternatives:** If goat cheese isn’t your preference, don’t hesitate to experiment! Crumbled blue cheese offers a strong, pungent counterpoint that some adore, while a milder, melty grated cheese like Gouda, Gruyère, or even a blend of Italian cheeses can provide a comforting, familiar flavor.
• **Herb Variations:** While thyme is classic, rosemary or sage could also be interesting additions for an earthy twist.
• **Nutty Alternatives:** Pecans or even slivered almonds can be used instead of walnuts for a different nutty crunch.

Chicory Casserole Without Pre-cooking Chicory: A Time-Saving Approach

Preparing this chicory goat cheese casserole can be made even quicker by skipping the initial boiling of the chicory. The simplest way to do this is to add an extra 10 minutes to your oven baking time. However, it’s worth noting that if the chicory isn’t pre-cooked, only the bottom parts of the chicory rolls will be fully immersed in the orange juice, meaning the cooking and tenderizing of the chicory might not be entirely uniform throughout. If you’re okay with this slight variation in texture, it’s a perfectly acceptable and simpler solution for a weeknight meal.

For an entirely different take on the “no pre-cook” method, you can opt for a more deconstructed approach. After cutting out the bitter core from the chicory, finely chop the chicory. Mix these chopped pieces directly in the baking dish with strips of Prosciutto. Pour the orange juice over this mixture. Then, crumble the goat cheese, walnuts, orange rind, and thyme evenly over the chopped chicory and Prosciutto. Bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the chicory is tender and the cheese is golden and bubbly. This method results in a delicious, more rustic gratin that’s incredibly easy to prepare.

Serving, Storage, and Make-Ahead Tips

This Belgian endive gratin is wonderfully versatile. It makes an exquisite side dish for roasted meats like pork loin, chicken, or duck, and pairs beautifully with fish. For a lighter meal, it can even stand alone as a flavorful vegetarian main course, perhaps alongside a fresh green salad and some crusty bread.

• **Storage:** This chicory goat cheese casserole is best enjoyed immediately after baking when the cheese is perfectly melted and the Prosciutto is crisp. Unfortunately, it doesn’t store particularly well as a whole dish, as chicory can become watery upon reheating. It’s truly a dish meant to be savored fresh.
• **Leftover Chicory:** If you happen to have fresh chicory heads leftover from your purchase, they can be stored for up to 8 days in the refrigerator, ideally in a dark, cool place to prevent greening (which can increase bitterness). Use them in a vibrant salad mixed with raisins, orange segments, and a light vinaigrette for a refreshing contrast.
• **Freezing Chicory:** You can blanch any remaining fresh chicory by boiling it for just 2 minutes in water, then plunging it into ice water, draining, and freezing. This preserves it for up to 2 months. However, for this specific casserole recipe, fresh chicory is highly recommended for the best texture and flavor.

You Might Also Love These Recipes!

If you’ve enjoyed this delightful chicory goat cheese casserole, you’re likely to appreciate these other fantastic vegetable-focused recipes that offer unique flavors and textures for your table. Explore new culinary adventures!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Belgian Endive Gratin

What is Belgian endive (chicory) and why is it sometimes bitter?

Belgian endive, also known as chicory, is a leafy vegetable characterized by its small, tightly packed heads and slightly bitter taste. The bitterness comes from a compound called lactucopicrin (formerly called intybin), which is more concentrated in the core and the green outer leaves. Our recipe tackles this by removing the core and parboiling the chicory to mellow the flavor.

Can I make this Belgian endive gratin ahead of time?

While the casserole is best served immediately for optimal texture, you can do some prep work in advance. You can wash, trim, and parboil the chicory a day ahead, storing it in the refrigerator. You can also grate the orange rind and juice the orange in advance. Assemble and bake just before serving for the best results.

Is this recipe suitable for vegetarians?

As written, this recipe uses Prosciutto ham, making it non-vegetarian. However, it can easily be adapted! Simply omit the Prosciutto and consider wrapping the chicory in a thin slice of grilled halloumi cheese or a savory plant-based “ham” substitute. The combination of goat cheese, orange, honey, thyme, and walnuts is delicious on its own.

What are the nutritional benefits of chicory?

Chicory is a wonderfully healthy vegetable! It’s low in calories, high in dietary fiber, and a good source of vitamins K, C, and A, as well as folate and potassium. Its high fiber content aids digestion and can contribute to a feeling of fullness, making it a great addition to a balanced diet.

How can I ensure my goat cheese gets perfectly golden and bubbly?

The key to a beautiful golden, bubbly goat cheese topping is the final grilling (broiling) step. Make sure your oven is properly preheated, and keep a close eye on the casserole during these last 5 minutes. Ovens vary, so adjust the time as needed to achieve a lovely golden crust without burning.

📖 Recipe Card

VIDEO

RECIPE CARD

Belgian endive au gratin with goat cheese and prosciutto ham

Andréa

A delightful **homemade** recipe for Belgian endive au gratin featuring creamy goat cheese and savory Prosciutto ham. The tender chicory is rolled in a slice of **salty** Prosciutto, with goat cheese bubbling and golden on top, creating an irresistible side dish or light main.

5 of 43 votes

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Dutch

Servings 4 persons

Calories 291 kcal

Equipment

• A conventional oven is used. When using a convection oven (with air fan) decrease the temperature with 30 °F / 20 °C

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 heads chicory
• ▢ 8 slices Prosciutto
• ▢ 100 grams goat cheese, soft
• ▢ 1 orange
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
• ▢ 30 grams walnuts

All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

Preparation

• ▢
  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius.
• ▢
  Wash the orange and grate the skin.
• ▢
  Halve the orange and juice it.
• ▢
  Slice the bottom of the chicory and half it. Cut the core out.
• ▢
  Put a pan with a bit of water, approximately 2 inches (5 cm), on the stove and bring to the boil.

Chicory goat cheese casserole

• ▢
  Put the halve chicory heads carefully in the boiling water and cook them for 8 minutes.
• ▢
  Drain the chicory in a colander.
• ▢
  Put a slice of Prosciutto in front of you and put half a chicory head on top. Roll the prosciutto around the chicory. Put in the oven dish.
• ▢
  Repeat for all the Prosciutto slices.
• ▢
  Pour the orange juice around the chicory.
• ▢
  Sprinkle orange grind on top of the chicory.
• ▢
  Crumble the goat cheese on top of the Prosciutto.
• ▢
  Drizzle some honey on top and sprinkle the thyme.
• ▢
  Top the casserole with the walnuts.
• ▢
  Put the casserole in the oven for 15 minutes.
• ▢
  Then turn on the grill and bake for another 5 minutes.
• ▢
  Serve.

Notes

• You can also remove the bitter core of the chicory by cutting off the butt and removing the core with an apple corer.
• Instead of boiling, you can also stew the chicory in butter for 10 minutes for a delicious creamy taste.
• The chicory doesn’t necessarily have to be precooked. Then adjust your oven time to 25 minutes. And then turn on the grill.
• If you think the chicory is still bitter, add ¼ cup (50 ml) of milk to the water in which you boil the chicory.
• Instead of Prosciutto, you can also choose Parma ham, Coburger ham, or bacon.
• Goat cheese can be replaced by Blue cheese or a delicious grated cheese like Gouda.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 14gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 297mgFiber: 15gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 10174IUVitamin C: 50mgIron: 5mg

Keyword a casserole with chicory, a vegetable recipe

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!