More ways with leeks

Super-speedy seafood with puff-pastry stars

gratin (below) Cut stars from a sheet of puff pastry, brush them with beaten egg and bake for 15 minutes in a hot oven. Wash and slice two leeks, then fry in an ovenproof pan with a little butter and seasoning until soft. Remove from the heat and arrange 8 scallops and a handful of prawns among the leeks. In a separate bowl, whisk together 300ml crème fraîche, 50ml white wine, seasoning, 3tbspn capers and 2 crushed cloves of garlic. Pour mixture over the seafood, sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs, seasoning, lemon zest and cayenne pepper and bake in a hot oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon and a puff-pastry star on the side.

Cheesy leek-and-butternut muffins

Combine the following in a bowl: 60ml olive oil, half a sliced and gently fried leek, 1 clove crushed garlic, 200g cooked butternut squash in small chunks, 350g self-raising flour, 100g Parmesan, 1 beaten egg and 300ml buttermilk. Spoon the mixture into a greased muffin tin, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and bake for about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

A simple side of leeks

Wash and trim 4 leeks. Halve them both length and width ways, arrange in an ovenproof dish and pour in enough chicken stock to just cover them. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan, plus a scattering of fresh thyme. Place in a hot oven for 25 minutes and serve as an accompaniment to fish.