Endives With Ham

4 Belgian endives, halved vertically
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for baking dish
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch sugar
Salt and ground white pepper
2 cups dry white wine
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk, warmed
4 1/8-inch-thick slices, or about 1/2 pound, cooked ham (jambon de Paris, prosciutto cotto or unsmoked Virginia ham)
4 ounces coarsely grated Gruyère or Comté cheese

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
  608 calories; 44 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 144 milligrams cholesterol; 911 milligrams sodium

4 servings

Remove outer layer of leaves from endives. Trim bottoms, and carve a V shape in cut side to remove cores. Place endives cut side down in a single layer in a sauté pan. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter, sprinkle with lemon juice and season with sugar, salt and pepper. Add wine and about 1 cup water to barely cover endives. Cut a circle of parchment to fit into pan and place on endives. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat, and cool in liquid.
Melt remaining butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in warm milk, beating constantly, about 10 minutes, until béchamel sauce is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Lightly butter a baking dish to hold endives in a single layer. Drain endives, and pat dry on paper towel. Cut ham slices in half, and wrap endive halves in ham. Place seam side down in baking dish. Spoon béchamel over and around roll-ups. Sprinkle with cheese. Set aside until shortly before serving. Refrigerate dish if waiting more than 1 hour, but bring to room temperature before baking.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. Briefly place dish under broiler to lightly brown top. Serve hot.