Endives aux Gratin with Ham

• 4 tb olive or vegetable oil
• 8 whole heads Belgian endive cored
• ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ½ cup grated Gouda or Jarlsberg or other mild nutty cheese
• 2 tb grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 slices of Ardennes ham (or Black Forest ham)
• Chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a frying pan, lightly sauté the endives, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the red and green pepper to the oil and lightly sauté them, remove them from the pan, and set aside. Add the flour to the oil and stir until lightly browned. Add the salt and pepper and blend in with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the cheeses and blend until the cheese melts. Stir in the sautéed red and green peppers. Place the sautéed Belgian endives in an oven proof casserole. Wrap each endive in a slice of ham. Cover with the cheese sauce and place in a 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubble and brown. You may brown it under the broiler for a minute or two if you wish. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Accompany with a Witkap Tripel whose fruity honeyish notes beautifully complement this dish.

From The Belgian Endive Marketing Board