A recipe for a hearty dish, serve it with a side of roasted potatoes, green vegetables, or a nice crunchy bread to mop up the sauces. In the UK Belgian endives are known as Chicory, which in the US refers to the curly endive, the leaves, which are used as a salad species. In Australia and New Zealand, Belgian endives are known by their Dutch name Witloof.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
Belgian Endives:
- 3 medium-size Belgian endives
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp dry white wine or chicken stock
- 4 medium-size skinless and boneless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Mustard-Sage Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) crème fraîche or sour cream
- 4 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard or to taste
- 4 Tbsp Gruyère or sharp tasting cheese grated
Preparation:
Preheat oven 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
Prepare a baking dish large enough to hold endives and chicken. Oil it well with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside.
Remove any blemished outer leaves from the endives. Cut them lengthwise and brush them with the remaining tablespoon olive oil on all sides. Sprinkle endives with salt and pepper. Pour 3 tablespoons of wine or chicken stock over the endives and bake them for about 15 minutes or until pierced with a knife, endives offer no resistance.
Cut chicken breasts into about 1 inch (2,5 cm) cubes. Salt and pepper them. Dust chicken cubes lightly with a tablespoon flour. In a saucepan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté chicken cubes until they are golden on all sides. Add shallot and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
Remove the baking dish with the endive halves from the oven. Test for doneness. Add the chicken-shallot mix to it. Set aside, cover with foil, and keep it warm.
Melt the butter in the same saucepan you used to sauté the chicken. Stir in the flour and mix it well with the butter. Make sure that you scrape any juicy bits from the bottom of the saucepan. They will add a great taste and color to your sauce. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until sauce starts to thicken. Add crème fraîche or sour cream, sage, and mustard while stirring. Taste for salt, pepper, and additional mustard, if you like.
Pour sauce over the chicken and endives in the baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake it for 20 minutes longer or until sauce begins to bubble and cheese is melting.
