Endive gratin with orange, ham, cilantro and Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat oven to 170 °C (338 °F).
2. Place the endives in a pot and add the thyme, bay leaf, a generous dollop of butter, two pinches of fine-grain salt, and two pinches of sugar. Cover with fresh water and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Slice the onions in half lengthwise, then trim into thinner strips and fry them in a saucepan for 6 minutes to caramelize. Stir in the olive oil, white pepper and coriander seeds to give the dish a roasted flavor and to counterbalance the natural bitterness of the endives.
4. Once the endives are cooked, carefully remove them from the pan and allow them to drain until as much of the water as possible has been expelled, keeping the cooking liquid.
5. After the onions have caramelized, deglaze the pan with the orange juice + 1 liter (4 cups) of the water used to cook the endives, then simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. 
6. Wrap each endive with a slice of ham and place in the gratin dish. Top each endive with the caramelized onions and deglazed juices. Sprinkle with the grated Gruyere and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Before serving, pour the sauce around each endive, then destem the fresh cilantro leaves and use as a garnish...an original finishing touch for this reinterpretation of a culinary classic! Enjoy!

Chef tips:

1. To make sure the endives are cooked to perfection, prick them with the tip of a knife; the texture should offer no resistance.

2. Draining this vegetable is a necessary step that should not be skipped; all the excess water must be removed from the endives. 

3. The cooking water can be reused to make a variety of sauces, for rice, pasta, etc.