March 12: Belgian endive: The accidental veggie

By Jeff Cheek

Chicory is a root the French use in coffee. The English use the leaves in salads. Endive is a curly leafed member of the lettuce family. Confused? You should be. Let's go back a couple of centuries and try to straighten this out.

It starts with Napoleon, in 1807. The British controlled the seas, which made it difficult for France to import luxuries like coffee and sugar. Napoleon solved the sugar problem by having his scientists develop beet sugar. Today, almost half the world's sugar comes from sugar beets.

There was no substitute for coffee. To lessen France's dependence on imported coffee, Napoleon stretched existing stocks by adding ground chicory roots at a ratio of 16 to one. The chicory adds a slightly bitter taste. It is also a laxative, as many tourists have learned after visiting the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Jump forward to 1848-1850. Belgium is suffering through a famine. Everything in the Botanical Garden of Brussels had been dug up to alleviate hunger. Chicory leaves were eaten as salad and the roots were ground up as a coffee substitute. The Chief Gardener had planted several roots in his cellar, hoping to find a better, stronger root. One root was accidentally left in the dark cellar. Three weeks later, he found the root had produced a hard, white cone instead of leaves. He called it "witloof" (white leaves in Flemish) but it was introduced to the world as Belgian endive.

The slightly tart cones are excellent in salads or can be used as a vegetable. They were a Belgian monopoly for many years because of the labor needed. Belgium still harvests about 100,000 tons per year. Two or three percent ends up in American stores. It is harvested in late fall or winter, and is usually available from October to May.

Seeds are sewn in late spring; then the seedlings are transplanted into outdoor trenches. They are taken up before they blossom. Chicory has a delicate blue flower nicknamed "blue sailors" because their shade of blue is close to naval uniforms. This operation normally occurs in September.

The leaves are all removed and the roots are replanted in dark cellars or basements. The dirt or mulch is pressed firmly against the root. Without this pressure, and with any light coming in, the root will produce leaves. But if left in darkness and under pressure, in about six weeks the root will produce several succulent white cones, each about nine inches long with several layers of tightly bound leaves.

These "witloofs" are a tasty addition to any salad but Belgian Endive Ham Rolls is an elegant entrée.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Belgian Endives

1/2 cup water

2 tbs. lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

8 slices ham

2 tbs. butter

2 tbs. flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup shredded American cheese

2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION: Combine water, lemon juice, salt and pepper in saucepan. Add endive; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. Roll each endive in two slices of ham; place in baking dish. In saucepan melt butter over low heat, blend in flour. Stir in milk and chicken broth. Cook until it bubbles; take off and stir in American cheese. Pour sauce over ham rolls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.

Jeff Cheek lives in Medford