Pancetta Wrapped Endive Recipes

Steps:

• Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add lemon juice. Add endive quarters and cook 1 minute. Drain well. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle endive with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap 1 slice of pancetta around center of each endive quarter. Place wrapped endive on heavy large baking sheet. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake wrapped endive until endive is tender and pancetta is crisp, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Mix in lemon juice. Add endive and boil until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water; cool. Drain. Squeeze endive gently from root end to tip to remove excess water. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Sauté pancetta in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to bowl.
• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil, whisking until sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in Gruyère cheese. Stir in pancetta. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/3 of the sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange endive atop sauce. Spoon remaining sauce over. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake until endive is tender, about 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Trim the heads of endive, and quarter them lengthwise.
• Cut the sliced prosciutto in half on an angle across the center.
• Over medium-high temperature, heat a grill pan or large skillet.
• Season the prepared endive with salt and freshly ground pepper (I like tricolor peppercorns).
• Wrap each endive with a piece of sliced prosciutto, then brush each with the extra-virgin olive oil.
• Saute each on the grill pan or large skillet for 7 to 8 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until the prosciutto is nicely crispy and the endive pieces are tender.
• While the vegetables and ham are cooking, begin the reduction sauce: place the chopped figs and vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and simmer sauce for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the figs are soft and the vinegar is nicely thick and syrupy.
• When endives are done, place attractively on a serving dish and drizzle the fig and balsamic reduction over them.
• Serve and enjoy!