Chicory with ham and cheese sauce

When cooked, chicory’s sharp flavour softens into a mellow sweetness and cuts through the rich ham – delicious. This recipe can be adapted especially for people with chewing and/or swallowing problems

Ingredients

600g potatoes
200g gruyere cheese (grated)
50g parmesan cheese (grated)
700ml semi-skimmed milk
8 chicory heads (ground)
8 slices cooked ham
50g butter
40g flour
1/2 lemon
1 tsp white sugar
salt and pepper
nutmeg

Preparation

1. Clean the chicory, remove the outer leaves and the hard core.
2. Cut the chicory into fine rings.
3. Peel and cut the potatoes for the purée.
4. Roll up the slices of ham and cut them finely.

Method

1. Stew the chicory in 20g of butter with sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg until cooked. Leave to drain and reserve the cooking liquid.
2. Boil the potatoes, mash and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
3. Prepare a béchamel sauce with a roux made from 30g butter and 40g flour. Deglaze the roux with the cold milk and stir firmly with a whisk to prevent clotting.

Finishing

1. Add ¾ of the cheese to the béchamel sauce and the juice of half a lemon.
2. Lightly butter a casserole dish.
3. First put the puree in, then the chicory, on top the ham and finally the cheese sauce.
4. Sprinkle the remainder of the grated cheese over the top and gratinate under the grill.
5. Garnish with slices of lemon.

Nutritional information

Nutrition per 100g

Energy …………………………………………………………. 97 kcal/407 kJ

Proteins………………………………………………………………………………….. 7.1g

Total fat…………………………………………………………………………………….. 4.6g

Saturated fat ……………………………………………………………………… 2.9g

Monounsaturated fat ……………………………………………….. 0.8g

Polyunsaturated fat………………………………………………….. 0.1g

Cholesterol ……………………………………………………………………. 14mg

Carbohydrates……………………………………………………………………… 6.7g

Sugars ………………………………………………………………………………………… 2.3g

Fibres……………………………………………………………………………………… 1.3g