Braised white chicory (aka Belgian endive) is a delicious recipe that begins with a quick caramelisation in butter before being slowly cooked.
The dish takes around 40 minutes to cook and maybe 5-10 to prepare, but it is almost all hands-off cooking allowing you to concentrate on the main course!
Braised Belgian Endive
White chicory or Belgian endive is a woefully underused vegetable and it’s wonderful braised in butter and water with a touch of sugar.
I’m just as guilty in my neglect of this wonderful vegetable, it only appears once as an ingredient here, as part of my Balsamic roasted chicken leg recipe.
However, it really does sing as a simple vegetable side dish!
It is gloriously easy to cook, all you need to do is cut it in half and caramelise it up a little. Then add some water, sugar and salt, whack on a “cartouche” and leave it alone for 30 minutes.
Low maintenance sides are a real winner in the kitchen they allow you to concentrate elsewhere and still deliver wonderful flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook this in advance?
In theory yes, although I find that the bitterness tends to become more pronounced when it is left and reheated.
This is not a major problem unless you have a particular aversion to bitter flavours. Although, I do think that this is best served immediately.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes, if you wish.
Sub in the same volume of olive oil, rapeseed, avocado, or even plain old ground nut oil.
Do I have to add the sugar?
No, this is there to provide a counterpoint to the natural bitterness of the vegetable.
What is the final 2 minutes of cooking time for?
This time is aimed at getting a final bit of caramelisation on the cut side of the chicory. It is not essential, but it is a nice touch.
Serving Suggestions
Braised chicory is a wonderfully versatile side dish that has a wonderful affinity with bacon as far as I am concerned.
It is pictured above with my bacon-wrapped brie and cranberry stuffed chicken breast and below it is pictured with my maple syrup glazed chicken breast.
It would work equally well with my bacon-wrapped cod loin, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin recipe and even my cider-glazed bacon chops.
Its gently bitter flavour is also particularly good with dishes that have a sweet vibe going on.
Dishes like my honey and miso-glazed salmon or balsamic and honey glazed duck breast would be ideal as would this simple honey and lemon glazed chicken recipe.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11″ frying pan.
- Baking parchment.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Small mixing bowl.
- A combination of weighing scales a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Braised White Chicory Recipe (Belgian Endive)
White chicory or Belgian endive is a woefully underused vegetable, in this delicious side dish iy is quickly caramelised in butter, then braised in water and brown sugar to deliver a wonderfully soft texture and perfectly balanced flavour.
Ingredients
- 3 Small (250g Total) White Chicory or Belgian Endive
- 25g (1 Tbsp + 2 Tsp) Butter
- ⅛-¼ Tsp Salt
- 75ml (⅓ Cup) Water
- 1 Tsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Trim any "browned" bits at the bottom of each chicory, then cut them in half lengthways.
- Pour the water into a small mixing bowl and add the salt and brown sugar, then mix to combine.
- Cut a piece of baking parchment into a circle, large enough to cover your pan, cut a small (1½cm or ½") hole in the middle, then screw it up and soak it in water.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a medium high heat, add the butter and when it begins to foal add the chicory, cut side down. Fry until the bottom of the chicory begins to colour, this will take 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the sugar, salt and water mix, cover with the baking parchment (cartouche), reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 30 minutes.
- Remove the baking parchment, turn the heat up to high and cook for a 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 224mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.