BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Belgian endive is one of the most difficult vegetables in the world to grow, taking 150 days to grow from seed to leafy tap root. But it’s worth the effort as this slightly bitter and nutty root crop is a rare fresh vegetable in the dead of winter.

And, in the dead of winter, you’ll find Eye on Sun Valley’s Marie Gallo whipping up Chicons au Gratin, a national Belgian dish consisting of Belgian endives wrapped in slices of baked ham and topped with a Mornay sauce and grated cheese. It is, she says, one of her favorite dishes.

Follow along as Marie shows how easy it is to make in today’s Marie’s Kitchen video:

CHICONS AU GRATIN

5 Belgian endives, each cut in half lengthwise

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic minced (optional)

Salt and pepper

SAUCE

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons flour

11 oz. milk

Nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Ham slices

Gruyere cheese, grated

Melt butter in skillet with olive oil and add endives and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little water at a time, making sure there’s always water with which to cook the endives.

To make sauce, melt butter on low heat and stir in flour to make a roux. Add milk a little at a time, continuing to stir on medium high heat as you do. When the sauce thickens, spice with salt and pepper and nutmeg, as you wish.

Spread part of the sauce on ham. Top with endive and roll the two together. Place in baking dish and pour the remainder of sauce on the ham-endive pieces. Grate gruyere cheese on top.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. Then put under the broiler for a minute until the dish browns. Add parsley to provide color, if you wish. Serve with mashed potatoes.