Baked Belgian Endive - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 stalks Belgian endive
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1 2/3 cups half-and-half (for even richer flavor you could use heavy cream)
1/3 cup fresh imported parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumb

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place the endive stalks in a greased, shallow 1 1/2 quart oven proof cassserole dish. Dot with the butter. Sprinkle the endive with the sugar, salt and pepper.
Cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours until soft. Any liquid remaining is to be discarded. Set endive aside.
Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat (DO NOT burn!) Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings.
Increase oven heat to 350 degrees.
Heat the reserved drippings on medium heat and add the flour. Stir until bubbling, but again, do not burn! Gradually pour in the half and half (or heavy cream.) Heat the mixture and stir for approximately 5 minutes until almost boiling and thickened. Pour the sauce over the endive.
Chop up the bacon into little pieces and sprinkle over the endive along with the Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until bubbling and lightly browned on top.