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Ham, Cheese & Chicory Rolls
This casserole is made of awesome! And no, I’m definitely not exaggerating. Not this time. We’re talking spiked mashed potatoes topped with ham, cheese and chicory (endive) rolls. What’s not to love?
It’s a family recipe and undoubtedly a staple recipe in many Dutch homes. You can easily prepare this casserole ahead of time, which is a big plus to me. It’s the kind of casserole I’ll whip up when I know the next day will be a busy and hectic one. All we have to do is pop it in the oven the moment we come home, and in no time we’ll have a wonderful meal on the table.
Ingredients:
3 big heads chicory
2 pound potatoes
2/3 cup of milk
knob of butter
1 1/2 tbsp coarse mustard
6 cheese slices
6 ham slices
pepper
nutmeg
salt
Directions:
* This recipe serves 3. Adjust the quantities to suit your family’s needs. You can stash more rolls on top of the mashed potatoes.
Peel, wash and dice the potatoes.
Salt the water, but remember you can always add salt to the mash later.
Boil them until really tender. For me this took about 20 minutes. While you’re at it, bring an another large pot of salted water to a boil.
The chicory, or Belgium endive as some people call this vegetable. We call it witlof. My general rule of thumb when it comes to veggies is 7oz per person, per day. I always buy chicory that weighs roughly 7oz each. Cut off the bottom and remove any unpretty outer leaves.
Slice the chicory in half lengthways and feel free to remove the bitter core (See the triangle? That’s the one). I seldom do, though. Chicory doesn’t seem to be as bitter anymore these days.
Plunge the chicory halves into the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
Then drain them.
Preheat your oven to 400F (200C).
In the mean time the potatoes will be done. Drain them, pour in the milk, add some butter (not too much) and season with pepper and nutmeg.
I use my handmixer to turn it into a smooth puree.
Add the coarse mustard. No less than 1 tbsp or you won’t taste it, but no more than 2 tbsp or it will become overpowering. Stir well and taste to check the seasoning.
Transfer the mashed potatoes to an oven dish.
Let’s make the rolls. Start with a thick slice of cheese, top it with ham and place a chicory halve on top. Start rolling those babies!
For all you chicory haters out there, you can also do this with asparagus. Canned asparagus even!
Put the chicory rolls right on top of the mashed potatoes. We eat two rolls per person. Since you don’t eat any meat on the side, and if you don’t add a gallon of cream and/or butter to the mashed potatoes (something I’ve never understood), this is actually a pretty decent dinner.
Pop them in the oven and bake at 400F (200C) for 25 minutes. Until the cheese is golden brown.
This really is comfort food. The potatoes have a bit of zing that compliments the gooyeness of the melted cheese, and the slight bitterness of the chicory goes so well with the mellow ham flavor. Simple, wholesome and hearty. Exactly how I like it.
Kay’s Recipe Card
Click here for printable size.
Tip: leave out the mashed potatoes, lightly spread some coarse mustard on the cheese before you start rolling and you have a great low carb side dish.
| Ham, Cheese and Chicory Rolls | |
| Ingredients |
2 pound potatoes 2/3 cup of milk knob of butter 1 1/2 tbsp coarse mustard 6 cheese slices 6 ham slices pepper nutmeg salt |
| Directions |
Drain the potatoes, pour in the milk, add some butter (not too much) and season with pepper and nutmeg and turn it into a smooth puree. Add the coarse mustard. No less than 1 tbsp or you won’t taste it, but no more than 2 tbsp or it will become overpowering. Transfer the mashed potatoes to an oven dish. Start with a thick slice of cheese, top it with ham and place a chicory halve on top. Keep doing this until all chicory is gone. You coudl also use asparagus in stead. Put the chicory rolls right on top of the mashed potatoes. Pop them in the oven and bake at 400F (200C) for 25 minutes. Until the cheese is golden brown. |
| Meal type: | main coarse/casserole |
| Servings: | 4 |
| copyright © kayotickitchen.com | |
Heerlijk! Gister nog gemaakt (deze lijkt op die uit de nieuwste Allerhande).
Ik vind zelf ook de toevoeging van een kaassaus (bechamel+geraspte kaas) erg lekker.
@Denise:
Heeft de allerhande ook weer een nieuwe uit? Dan moet ik ff het blaadje gaan halen! Staan af en toe wel leuke recepten in.
Wow your recipes always look so good! I often make something like this, but then using sauerkraut and crushed pineapple rolled in ham with bechamel sauce on top. Definately going to try this version though.
This is very much like something we often ate growing up and I still love, but have never seen anywhere else before. I find that sometimes chicory becomes stringy when boiled, so I always steam it briefly. We wrap the chicory in just the hame and then cover the whole lot in cheese sauce and don’t use any mash, making it a nice low carb meal which leaves room for dessert!
Your recipes are always so versatile and yummy..!! Thanks for sharing..!
Ik maakte ze alleen de witlof rolletjes, maar met aarduppelpuree eronder.. Goed idee! Ga ik zeker proberen!
I just got back from the Netherlands and encountered “witlof” for the first time! I had never had it growing up in the Southern US. It certainly isn’t a staple in our diet. I fell in love with it! We ate at De Drie Provincien (near Bakkeveen) and it was one of their side dishes for the evening– prepared just as you say- With ham, cheese in a creamy mustard sauce. It was fantastic. No one knew the “American” term for witlof– so I asked the waiter who in turn asked the chef. He came to the table and explained it. Belgian endive.
Now, I get lucky and you post this immediately after I return home!!
what could you use instead of the chicory?
Yummers haven’t tried witlof in ages! I can smell the cheese already! Definitely foisting this on my dinner guests! Thanks for the recipe!
Your site is beautiful and I adore your pictures :) Just added you to my blogroll so I can frequent it more often! :P Thanks!
This is so much more impressive than I thought it would be, when I first read the post title. These look spectacular, and not just because of the great photography.
Is this “chicory” the same vegetable you use in the endive potato mash? It looks completely different in your photos. I found something labeled endive/chicory in my grocery store, but it doesn’t look like either of these. I am taking a picture to my small market locally to see if they can tell me what it is.
Continue to totally enjoy all your pics and recipes!
To Kim: Endive = Chicory
To Kay: I’m definitely making this! I was in Belgium several years ago and at a pub for a late-night dinner. The menu was in French (I think) and I remember looking for something “light”. I recognized ham & chicory in the description and thought – “oh, a vegetable! That’s what I’m getting.” This was a bit heavy for a late night meal, but oh my was it delicious! I’m glad to get a chance to try this one out at home.
IF I am fortunate enough to find endive in the U.S. I will be making this posthaste! I so miss endive – we ate tons in NL! My landlord’s mother grew it for years in Gelderland – in the very place we lived in – lol. I SO miss the good, fresh veggies of NL. I agree – never been one for tons of butter or cream in mashed ‘taters – but then maybe the U.S. ones need all that – they don’t seem to be quite as good as they were there!
Kim: there is such a thing as chicory root, which looks, well, like a root. Kind of like ginger, all knobby. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of? Chicory/endive is grown for its leaves, while chicory root is grown for the root portion.
Kay: I love how your recipes are just a little different than what we have here in “mainstream” America… I have yet to try them, but they all look delicious. What kind of cheese did you use in these?
@Kim:
No, it’s not. That’s curly endive and it’s an entirely different vegetable.
@Christie C.:
I’m so boring, I always end up using Gouda cheese :)
@Nicole:
I do make it without the mashed potatoes and with cheese sauce on top of it, but to actually turn it into a side dish with a mustard sauce on top is a fantastic idea for Christmas! Thanks for the idea.
This looks amazing! Now I’ll know what to do with chicory the next time I run across it in the supermarket. Thanks for yet another great recipe.
dit ziet er zooo lekker uit! i am already thinking with what to subsitute the ham, since i am vegetarian. or maybe i just skip it altogether…
I don’t think I have seen a more decadent dish ever……every element of the dish is done with great care and wonderful flavors. Well done, this is superb!!!
Looks very good, is the taste very cheesy? I’m not a huge cheese fan. I love wintery food and how it gives you a warm hug on the inside of your tummy.
Oh wow Kay. This casserole truly does appear to be made of awesome… =) It’s 6:30am my time and yet I need to eat that NOW!!
@peejeej:
It’s kinda cheesy like this, yes… because the cheese also melts all over the mashed potatoes. You could always make chicory and ham rolls and then sprinkle a little grated cheese on top!