Witloof Gratin — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Braised Belgian endives wrapped in turkey slices, nestled in a rich béchamel sauce with Gruyère cheese, and baked until bubbling and golden — a warming winter classic.

Ingredients

8 Belgian endives (witloof)
8 slices turkey breast
60g unsalted butter
40g all-purpose flour
500ml whole milk
100g Gruyère cheese, grated
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and white pepper
Lemon juice

Instructions

1 Trim endives and braise in butter with a splash of lemon juice and water, covered, for 20 min until tender. Drain well.
2 Make béchamel: melt butter, stir in flour, cook 2 min. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until thick. Add mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
3 Wrap each braised endive in a slice of turkey breast.
4 Arrange wrapped endives in a buttered gratin dish. Pour béchamel sauce over the top.
5 Sprinkle with grated Gruyère. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 min until golden and bubbling.
6 Let rest 5 min before serving. The endive should be sweet and tender beneath the gratin crust.

Did You Know?

Belgian endive (witloof) was discovered accidentally in 1830 when a Brussels farmer found that chicory roots stored in his cellar had sprouted pale, tender shoots.