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Belgian Endive and Ham Gratin
The Perfect Dish for Cooler Fall Weather
Sometimes, we stumble upon a forgotten childhood favorite purely by chance. Recently, while sitting in my office, surrounded by hundreds of old French cookbooks, one particular book called out to me. It had been a long time since I last opened Anne Willan’s comprehensive cookbook ‘The Country Cooking of France’.
As I flipped through the familiar pages, it felt like leafing through a family photo album filled with beloved childhood dishes. One recipe stopped me in my tracks — her take on the classic French family dish, endive and ham gratin. It immediately brought back vivid memories of my mother making the same dish when I was a child. I could almost see our old kitchen, painted in a warm shade of orange with Provencal blue tiles covering the floor, and smell the rich aroma of my mother’s cooking.
I caught myself smiling and licking my lips as I decided to make the creamy gratin for my son, just as my mother had for me, complete with a little extra sauce and the crispy cheese edges baked to perfection. Beau was hesitant at first, only daring to try a small spoonful. But when I left the table and came back, I caught him sneaking more bites from the dish, especially the cheesy, crunchy parts I used to adore. It felt like life had come full circle.
