GRILLED CHICORY WITH ORANGE

2 heads chicory
1 orange
Olive oil
125 g fresh goat's cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Chopped fresh thyme

Cut the chicory in half lengthways. Peel an orange over a bowl and cut into pieces, discarding the membrane. Place the chicory in a grill pan, cut side up and brush liberally with olive oil. Set the temperature to high and grill for about 3-4 minutes, until it is just beginning to char and soften. Turn, brush on some more olive oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes.Transfer to a gratin dish, carefully turning the chicory again. Arrange the orange segments on top and sprinkle with a little of the juice. Crumble the goat's cheese on top. Brush with more oil, sprinkle with thyme and pepper. Place under grill until the cheese is bubbling and begins to brown. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the pine nuts.

CREAM OF CHICORY SOUP

Serves 4 as a starter

2 chicory, cored
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
400 g potatoes, peeled and diced
480 ml chicken or vegetable stock
240 ml milk or single cream
Salt and pepper to taste
optional: chopped chives, dill, or parsley for garnish

Chop the chicory. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and the chicory and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock then simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft and then process them in a blender or food processor until the vegetables are smooth. Return the soup to the pan, add milk or cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold, garnished with herbs.

FANCY CHICORY & BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Serves 4 as a starter

100 g blue cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
100 g cream cheese, softened
2 large chicory heads
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons walnut oil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 apple, sliced and tossed with a squeeze of lemon juice
1 handful chopped walnuts

Combine the blue cheese, butter and cream cheese in a food processor and blend until they are smooth. Cut the bottom off the chicory head then peel away the outer leaves and set aside the core. Spread each leaf with a thick layer of the cheese mixture. Press the leaves back together to reconstruct the shape of the chicory. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 2 hours. Whisk together the Dijon mustard, vinegar, oils, salt and pepper in a bowl,and spoon 1 teaspoon onto each of 4 salad plates. Cut each chicory head crosswise into finger-width medallion slices and arrange 3 on each plate. Garnish with walnuts and apples, drizzle with dressing and serve.

GRATIN OF CHICORY & HAM

Serve with crusty bread and a salad for lunch or a light dinner. 2 main servings, or 4 first-course servings.

300 ml chicken stock
4 small heads of white chicory (Belgian endive)
4 large, thin ham slices
1 1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
175 ml whole milk
2 tablespoons single cream
3 teaspns Dijon mustard
Large pinch of ground nutmeg
1 handful grated Swiss cheese

Bring the stock to simmering point in a heavy medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicory and simmer, uncovered, until tender, for about 8 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Place the chicory on paper towels and cool. Preheat your oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. Butter a glass baking dish. Roll each chicory in a ham slice and arrange the rolls in a prepared dish. Melt the butter in medium saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, cream, mustard, and nutmeg and bring to boil, whisking it constantly. Boil the sauce for 1 minute then season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle Swiss cheese evenly over the top and bake until the sauce is bubbling all over and cheese begins to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

SALMON WITH CHICORY, DILL AND CREAM

Serves 4

4 pieces salmon fillet with skin (about 150 g each), any pin bones removed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 handful finely chopped shallots
2 large white chicory (Belgian endives), quartered lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into thick strips
60 ml white wine
200 ml single cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the grill. Line a rack of a grill pan with foil, then lightly oil it. Pat the salmon dry, then arrange the fillets, skin-side-down, on the grill pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then grill until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes. Keep them warm, loosely covered with foil (the fish will cook through from residual heat). Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shallots, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicory and sauté, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and boil over a high heat, continuing to stir, until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon. This should take about 1 minute. Add the cream and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is thickened and reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the dill, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Serve the salmon with sauce.

CHICORY AND GORGONZOLA SALAD

Serves 4 as a starter

1 handful walnuts
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 white chicory (Belgian endives)
1 apple
1 handful crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4. In a shallow baking pan toast walnuts in middle of oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes, and cool. Chop the walnuts. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegars and 1/2 teaspoon honey and add oil in a stream, whisking until mixed. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Next, separate the 4 outer leaves from each chicory and arrange 3 leaves on each of 4 plates. Cut the remaining chicory crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and put in a large bowl. Peel the apple and, using a mandoline or other manual slicer, cut thin slices lengthwise from 4 sides, stopping just before you get to the core. Make small stacks of the slices and cut the stacks into thin julienne strips. Toss the sliced chicory with dressing and divide it among plates, mounding it onto the whole leaves. Top each plate with Gorgonzola, walnuts, apple, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the last 2 teaspoons of honey over the salads.