French · Main
Endives au Jambon
Endives caramelised cut-side down then braised in orange and butter — bitterness tamed into something silky and sweet-sharp
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- White endives, halved lengthwise — 4 large (about 700 g)
- Unsalted butter — 50 g
- Caster sugar — 10 g
- Orange juice — 150 ml
- Orange zest — 3 g
- Light chicken or vegetable stock — 100 ml
- Thyme — 3 sprigs
- Fine salt — 5 g
- Black pepper — 1 g
- Hazelnuts, toasted, crushed (optional) — 20 g
Method
- Melt butter with sugar in a wide sauté pan over medium heat.
- Lay endives cut-side down; caramelise 6–8 min undisturbed to deep amber.
- Season; add orange juice, zest, stock and thyme.
- Cover with a cartouche; braise gently 20–25 min, turning once, until a knife slides into the cores.
- Remove endives; reduce the juices to a glossy glaze, 3–4 min.
- Roll endives in the glaze; check seasoning.