Chicory Gratin with Gorgonzola and Walnuts. 4g carbs.
Finding Keto-suitable sides to add texture and flavour to meals isn’t easy.
So I thought I would present to you this creamy, dreamy dish. It’s simple, but spectacularly tasty, and very filling.
And with the chicory releasing moisture, you actually end up with a delicious sauce to moisten your meat.
How to Make Chicory Gratin with Gorgonzola and Walnuts
It’s a surprisingly simple recipe that comes together in 10 minutes. It’s obviously best enjoyed piping hot, but you can make it in advance and simply re-heat it when you’re ready.
The hardest part is sourcing good chicory, which is a winter vegetable. Chicory grown in warmer weather is more bitter, with tougher chicons (leaves), while winter-grown chicory is less bitter, with tender leaves. The type of chicory you might find depends on where you are and the time of year.
Radicchio, Belgian Endive (Witloof), White Chicory, or Red Chicory are all good for this dish. Use whatever you can find.
Don’t be put off because you’ve read about chicory being bitter, or you’ve tasted it raw and found it too pungent. As I mentioned, winter produce is best. But aside from that, cooking it changes its flavour, making it milder and sweeter.
Next, get some creamy Italian Gorgonzola D.O.P. cheese. Not the Piccante (spicy) type. You want the Dolce (sweet) type. Well it’s not exactly sweet, just not as tangy and strong-flavoured.
If you can’t get Gorgonzola Dolce, Dolcelatte is an OK alternative.
Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P. is a must. Don’t bother with Parmigiano (Grana) Padano – it’s cheaper but milder, so you’d need to use more and will end up costing the same, with less flavour.
To make this simple dish, you begin by quickly charring the chicory in a saucepan. You then place the softened chicory into a baking dish in one layer, and melt the cheeses with double (heavy) cream in the same pan.
The final step (yes, you’re almost done already!) is to drizzle the gorgonzola cream over the chicory, scatter a little more Parmigiano and walnut pieces over the top, and bake.
Did I repeatedly say it was simple? I wasn’t kidding.
Enjoy!
Chicory Gratin with Gorgonzola and Walnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 g chicory (2 heads)
- 30 g salted butter
- 25 g double cream
- 60 g Gorgonzola dolce
- 25 g Parmigiano Reggiano - split
- 30 g walnuts - coarsely crumbed
Instructions
- cut off and discard 1/2” of the base and the first 2 outer leaves of the chicory, then slice lengthways.250 g chicory
- heat butter in a frying pan until it starts to sizzle, and place the chicory cut-side down.30 g salted butter
- caramelise on high heat for 3 minutes, flip, and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- transfer the chicory to your baking dish.
- pre-heat oven to
200 °C static. - using the same frying pan, add cream, Gorgonzola and 15g Parmigiano; keep stirring over medium heat until melted, homogenous and bubbly.25 g double cream, 60 g Gorgonzola dolce, 25 g Parmigiano Reggiano
- pour the cheese mixture over the chicory, then top with the remaining Parmigiano and crumbed walnuts.30 g walnuts, 25 g Parmigiano Reggiano
- bake for 15-20 minutes until browned.
Notes
Nutrition
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I love this yummy side with air-fryer chicken, a steak, or roasted beef. It is simply superb.