Chicons au Gratin

In an embellished version of this dish, the endives are wrapped in ham at the end of step 2. Many recipes call for prosciutto, but why not preserve the regional spirit of the dish and look for a ham from the Ardennes, the region straddling the French-Belgian border famous also as the site of the Battle of the Bulge* and the birthplace of Rimbaud at Charleville.†