Okay, so I like things that rhyme! But believe me; that’s certainly not the motivation behind this dish. So what is? Taste. Quite simply put; it’s delicious!

I never begrudge the complexity of multi-component dishes (like lasagne), where 3 saucepans & a brigade of roasting-dishes are required. Nor do I bemoan the washing-up; if you want good home-cooked food, then it’s par of the course. But sometimes I must admit that one-pot dishes are a godsend! This is never more the case than when you’re late home from work and all you want to do is relax. So if that’s tonight, then this is the dish for you!

Not only is this recipe the ultimate in ease and convenience, it’s also very low in carbohydrate. This means that diabetics and those on a ketogenic-diet can share in the easy-life, as well as gluten-intolerants and paleo-fans!

Feel free to substitute any of the ingredients, but it’s certainly worth sticking with the chicory and chorizo, as they both add hugely to the flavour.  Chicory (I believe Americans may call endive) has a slightly sharp flavour, which makes it brilliant for things like gratin where the taste will ‘hold its own’ amidst the cheese. Chorizo adds a bit of denseness to the texture and has that deep Spanish earthiness, which lies at the heart of comfort food. The chicken is inter-changeable for pork, turkey or even seafood. If you come up with any triumphs, be sure to let me know!

This dish is rendered far more straight-forward if you have a roasting-dish that can be used directly on the hob-top.

Place your dish onto the hot-plate and drizzle in a glug of olive-oil. Add your chicken-pieces and brown slightly, before mixing in a couple of handfuls of very roughly chopped shallots or onion. This is followed by crushed garlic and a good shake of dried oregano.

Halve your chicory lengthways and add it to the pan. Give the whole lot a good stir to coat with the oil, then leave to cook a few minutes until the chicory wilts down a little. Sprinkle over sliced chorizo, then layer on slices of thick-cut ham. Season well then place the dish into the oven for 30 minutes, until the endive is beautifully soft and the ham just starting to colour.

At this point, pour in a cupful of double-cream and dot the surface with slices of brie. Grate a flourish of emmental and parmesan on top, then back into the oven it goes for the dish to brown-up until it’s sizzling and golden all over.

Serve with a light salad and a big appetite! You’ll need it, as everyone tucks in for seconds!

Thank you for reading an bon ap!

Adam.