Belgian endive casserole (that even my kids love)

A tasty Belgian endive casserole with bacon is simmering in the oven. A delicious recipe that even my kids love. The base is a creamy chicory potato mash which is then rolled in a slice of ham. The mash is flavored with bacon, cheese, and sage. Let this casserole gratin in the oven and you have an easy flavorful meal.

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Well, if you enter a weekly coop produce subscription, you get surprises. For example Belgian endive, something no one in this family likes, and some even up to now refused to eat.

But throw it away and not eating it isn't an option, so I decided to find a recipe that is edible, and maybe even tasty.
And just when you've already tried several options (stir-fry with soy sauce, thin rolling up in ham with cheese cream sauce) and still negative reactions is your part, the tide can turn.

A delicious chicory recipe

In a national newspaper about a week or two ago, a recipe of a Belgian endive casserole was written. Everybody loves casseroles over here, so that's already a plus.

The recipe is slightly adapted, and I put it on the table tonight, and … (drum roll) … it was approved. There was even one who said it was tasty. Tada, there I did it. And such a recipe, it is of course to be placed on my site.

• Chicory or Brussels endive. You can buy this vegetable in a yellow-white combination or red and white. Both are suitable for this recipe. Half them and take out the bitter core.
• Potatoes: Use floury potatoes for a mash.
• Bacon: I used 3 ounces of bacon because the dish also uses ham. But if you're a bacon lover feel free to use more.
• Cheese: Use a block of cheese with a creamy flavor, like Gouda. First half the cheese. Grate one half and slice the other half into small cubes.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter, the bacon and ham are adding enough salt flavoring.
• Sage: In this recipe, fresh sage is used. But if you don't have it, you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon dried sage.
• Ham: This is deli ham. Take the best ham where you can get your hands on. And try to get big slices, for they roll so much better.

🔪 How to prepare a chicory casserole

Step 1: peel, cut, and cook the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and wash them. Quarter or half the biggest potatoes. Bring a pan with water to the boil, about 2 inches (5 cm) of water, and add the potatoes. Cook them for 10 minutes.

Step 2 wash and cut the chicory. In the meanwhile slice the back of the Brussels endive. Half the chicory and cut out the bitter core. Slice the chicory in strips and wash well. After the potatoes cook for 10 minutes add the chicory strips and cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 3 prepare the chicory-potato mash. The base of this chicory casserole is a creamy chicory-potato mash. Bake the bacon strips in a dry frying pan until they're crispy and brown (5 minutes on medium heat).

When the potatoes and chicory are done, drain them. Then mash everything with a potato masher. Add the butter, cheese cubes, finely sliced sage, and crispy bacon. And mix everything well.

Step 4 roll the ham and gratin the cheese. Put a slice of ham in front of you and add 3 tablespoons of mash on one side of the ham. Roll the ham and put it into the oven dish. Repeat for all the slices. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.

Bake the chicory casserole now 20 minutes in the preheated oven at 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

• You can also remove the bitter core of the chicory by cutting off the butt and removing the core with an apple core.
• If you think the chicory is still bitter, add ¼ cup (50 ml) of milk to the water in which you boil the chicory. 
• Use a potato masher instead of an electric mixer to mash the potatoes and chicory. When using an electric mixer you will get a glue substance. Not very delicious.
• Instead of using cooked ham, you can also use smoked ham like Parma ham or Prosciutto.
• Substitute Gouda cheese with Emmentaler or Gruyere. Both excellent choices.
• Don't have any fresh sage? Use 1 teaspoon dried sage instead.

• You can prepare this chicory casserole a day in advance and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. That way you only have to bake it for dinner. Make sure that you increase the baking time to 35 minutes (at 390 degrees Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Celsius).
• You can also freeze this chicory casserole. Wrap the casserole dish airtight and freeze it for up to two months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator and bake for 35 minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
• Do you have some chicory leftovers? You can store them for up to 8 days in the refrigerator. Use it in salad recipes, like a salad mixed with raisins and orange parts. Or make this chicory goat cheese casserole side dish.

If you like this chicory casserole (made of a mash), then you might find these recipes worth trying. Or you like one of these dinner recipes.

Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!

📖 Recipe