Brabantse witlooftaart (Belgian endives' tart)

For ➍*
2 onions, peeled & chopped finely
5 stalks witloof/endives**, cut into 4, lengthwise***/****
150 g bacon, cubed
2 eggs
5 cl milk
100 g Gruyère (or Emmental) cheese, grated
1 pack puff pastry
nutmeg
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 200°C. 
Beat the eggs and season to taste. Add the milk and half the cheese.
Line a baking tin or dish with baking paper. Put the pastry in, puncture with a fork.*****
Spread the the vegetables into the tin, crossing the witloof leaves. Put the bacon on top. Pour the egg mixture over.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Put in the oven for 40 m.
Serve with a small green salad.

*For a smaller tart (for 2 or as a starter or snack), use 3 endives, 75 g bacon. Use the same amounts for the sauce and cheese.

**Use the best quality witloof available, avoid hydroculture witloof. 
***If wanted, you can add 2 stalks blanched celery (or leek), cut into small pieces.

****If wanted, you can stew the vegetables for 1 or 2 m with  a little bit of butter.

*****If wanted, pre-bake the pastry.

Pistou

For ➍
2 cloves garlic
1 nice handful basil leaves
3 to 4 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
1-2 tbs grated cheese (f.i. Gruyère)*

Peel the cloves of garlic. Cut them in half, then put them in a mortar. Start pounding.
Add the basil leaves little by little while continuing to pound until you get an ointment.
Add the finely grated cheese*, if you have chosen to use it, while continuing to pound.
Add olive oil always by continuing to pound, you must keep this consistency of ointment, it should not be bathed in oil.
Pistou can be used in the famous soup with pesto, or in sauce in a pasta dish, or as such on grilled toast as an aperitif.
For preservation, you can completely freeze the pesto, the easiest remaining in ice cube trays.The advantage is the ease of dosing without having to thaw everything. Garlic loses some of its strength after thawing however.

*Optional

Sint-Jacobsschelpen met witloof & prei (scallops with endives & leeks)

For ➍
200 g scallops
3 endives
2 stalks leek
2 shallots
100 g butter
salt & pepper
1 glass of white wine
100 g grated Gruyère

Clean and chop leeks, endives and shallots.
Put some butter in a pan. Add the vegetables and let them braise slowly.
Season with pepper and salt.
Braise the scallops in butter, white wine, pepper and salt for 15 m on gentle heat.
Add vegetables and mix well.
Fill empty scallop shells with the mixture, sprinkle grated cheese over them.
Lightly grill for some colour.
Or put some of the vegetables in a little heap on each plate. Top with the scallops. Omit the cheese and grilling.

Read the braising endives without water tip. Read the cooking endives @ microwave tip.
Read the related scallops & endives recipe.

Omelette roulée au fromage (French omelet)

For ➊
2 tbs light olive oil
1 tbs cold butter, finely chopped & then frozen*
3 large eggs**
salt & ground black pepper
2 tbs shredded Gruyère cheese***
2 ts fresh, finely chopped chives****

Add the olive oil to a skillet and heat it over medium-high heat.

Whisk the eggs** until they are frothy. Stir half of the butter into the eggs.

Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Swirl it with the oil until it melts and becomes cloudy and bubbly.*****

Pour the eggs into the hot skillet and cook, moving a fork quickly through the eggs in small circles and zigzags until the eggs are approximately 80% cooked through. Smooth down the top surface of the eggs with the back of a large spoon or a small offset spatula.

Season the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the shredded cheese and chopped herbs on the eggs and cover with a lid. Turn off the heat and allow the omelet to continue cooking for 2-3 m, depending on how firm you want your eggs.

Tilt the skillet to the side a bit and, using a rubber spatula, carefully ease the omelet out of the pan and onto a warmed serving plate. Gently roll the omelet into the traditional tube shape.

Cut into thick slices. Serve with crispy bread and a (rucola) salad. Pour a glass of fruity Bourgogne Aligoté, or, in summer, a spicy rosé Provence wine. A Merlot will do as well.

*Put in the freezer for 10 m.
**Traditional recipes use 2 eggs and 1 yolk.
***Use fresh goat cheese instead. Or don't use cheese. Add some more herbs.
****Use fresh mint sprigs instead.
*****Traditional recipes recommend to heat the oil in a skillet for 2 m, then remove the oil with kitchen paper.
******Serves 2 as a starter.