Chicons au Gratin
Chicory was discovered by accident in the mid-19th century by a Belgian farmer from Schaerbeek, who stored chicory roots in a dark cellar and noticed they produced pale, tender shoots, completely different from the usual green leaves. The discovery quickly became an important commercial crop, and Belgium remains today the world's largest producer. The gratin with ham and béchamel is the classic way Belgians turn the vegetable's natural bitterness into a comforting winter dish, often served on Sundays with the family, alongside mashed potatoes.
Belgian chicory, a winter vegetable
Chicons, grown in darkness to stay pale, are a typically Belgian winter vegetable with a slightly bitter taste.
The bitterness needs taming
Chicons boiled in water with a little sugar and lemon juice lose their excess bitterness before being gratinated.
Each chicon wrapped in ham
Each boiled head is wrapped in a slice of ham before being covered in sauce.
A cheesy béchamel gratin
A béchamel generously topped with grated cheese is poured over and baked until golden-crusted.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 8 small Belgian chicons
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 8 slices ham
- 50g butter
- 50g flour
- 500ml milk
- 150g grated cheese (gruyère or emmental)
- Salt and pepper
How to make it
- 1Boil the whole chicons in water with sugar and lemon juice for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
- 2Drain the chicons well and let them cool slightly, pressing gently to remove excess water.
- 3Wrap each chicon with a slice of ham and place in a greased dish.
- 4Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir for a minute to make a roux.
- 5Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly, until you get a smooth béchamel sauce, then season with salt and pepper.
- 6Pour the sauce over the wrapped chicons and generously sprinkle grated cheese on top.
- 7Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese turns nicely golden, then serve hot.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
