Ham wrapped Chicory

Winter time is chicory time here. The fresh white heads are everywhere available. 

This is a great way to enjoy this veg. It is a light lunch option. If you find large pieces of chicory, one piece per person is enough, when you serve it with some rice. Use a large oven proof dish to pack them all in. If you want it a bit fancy and you have some smaller round dishes, make one for every guest.

I used very thin slices of cooked ham. That way the chicory is still the star of the show. It is not overpowered by the ham. But if you love a good piece of ham, you can steal the show with it. 

Recipe for 2:

2 large pieces of chicory, 6 thin slices of cooked ham

Sauce:

30 g butter, 30 g flour, 250 ml milk

Salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1 bay leaf

2 tbsp Noilly Prat, 1 tsp lime juice

Mixed grated Cheddar

Start with the Bechamel sauce. Melt the butter and add the flour. After 2 min add s little milk, then a little more until all milk is gone and you have no lumps.

Pour in Noilly Prat and lime juice, adf bay leaf and season. Cook until creamy. Discard the bay leaf.

Preheat the oven to 180 C fan.

Cut the chicory down the middle and season the insides. Wrap in ham.

Spread some sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and set the chicory with the cut side in. Spread the sauce on top and sprinkle the cheese over them. A fresh round of black pepper on top.

Bake for 30 min and serve with some rice.