Food The middle of winter is the time for leeks. by Lauraine Jacobs
The middle of winter is the time for leeks to take pride of place on the dinner table.
Aversatile and mild member of the Allium genus, the leek deserves the top spot in the array of winter vegetables. It has a sweetness and distinction that far outweigh the onion’s and, with gentle cooking, develops a silky mellow flavour that adds a pleasing dimension to soups and casseroles. Although they’re available year-round, leeks come into their own in the depths of winter. Stocks are good now and they are one of the few vegetables that has not shot through the roof in price. In early spring, smaller and more tender leeks appear and their sweetness is great for recipes that call for the leek to be cooked whole.
Leeks do not have the same high sugar content as onions, so they rarely caramelise when sautéed – watch them carefully, as they will scorch and burn faster than most vegetables. A popular restaurant garnish in the past few years has been a little frizzle of finely sliced leeks that are quickly deep-fried to make a crisp, crunchy topping for steak or poultry.
Leeks push themselves up through the soil as they grow, so dirt inevitably gets trapped between the layers. If it is not properly cleaned out, it will ruin a dish. The best way to deal with this is to slit the leek along its length to within 5cm of the base and fan the layers out underneath plenty of cold running water, vigorously removing all the dirt that’s hiding there. Then soak the washed leek in clean water for a further 10 minutes so any remaining particles float away. Baby leeks will not need such thorough treatment but will still need to be slit and inspected for dirt.
When using whole leeks, trim the roots away without completely cutting off the base so that the leek holds together. The dark, coarse top leaves should be trimmed neatly and discarded – smaller leeks will need only a little trimming of any tatty tops. Slice them with a sharp knife on the diagonal, as it looks more attractive.
One of the tastiest ways to serve leeks is in a simple tart. Line a baking tart tin with a short pastry, cover the pastry with foil and bake until almost crisp. Meanwhile, slice 4 leeks and sauté them until soft in plenty of olive oil. When they are cool, spread them out over the pastry and top with goat cheese, chopped thyme, grated lemon zest and cracked black pepper. Return the tart to the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the tart is aromatic.
BAKED CHICKEN, LEEK AND PUMPKIN
1 organic free-range chicken, butterflied sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 leeks, well washed 300g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks
The leek has a sweetness and distinction that far outweighs the onion’s.
½ cup green olives 1 tbsp preserved lemon, flesh discarded and rind cut into tiny dice ½ cup rosemary or thyme leaves, stripped from the stalks 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pat the chicken dry and dust it with salt and pepper on all sides.
Cut the leeks into 5cm chunks and place in a roasting dish with the pumpkin pieces. Toss the vegetables with the olives, preserved lemon dice, herb leaves, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar until well mixed. Tip them into a roasting pan and sit the chicken on top.
Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes, checking occasionally so that everything is cooking evenly. When the chicken is fragrant and thoroughly cooked (pierce the thigh to make sure the juices run clear), remove the pan from the oven and cover immediately with foil. Stack a couple of tea towels on top and allow to stand for 10 minutes so the juices set. Transfer the vegetables to a large serving platter and cut the chicken into portions.
Serve immediately, or if eating later, place in a covered dish and refrigerate until needed. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4-6.
Wine match: chardonnay.
ROAST LEEK SALAD WITH ORANGE, EGG AND CITRUS DRESSING
8 small leeks 2 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper 2 eggs 4 small mandarins THE DRESSING 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 orange, zest and juice 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp pitted olives, roughly chopped 1 cup chervil or parsley leaves, stalks removed
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Scrub and trim the leeks neatly, leaving whole. Toss the leeks in oil in a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in the heated oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and sweet.
Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs (nine minutes), remove from the water with a slotted spoon and plunge immediately into ice-cold water to prevent the eggs forming a dark ring between the yolk and white. Peel four of the mandarins, taking care to remove all the pith. Cut through the middle.
To make the dressing, lightly zest the lemon and orange, squeeze the juice of both into a bowl, add salt and pepper and whisk in the olive oil. Add the roughly chopped olives, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Chop the hard-boiled eggs roughly.
To serve, place two warm leeks on each plate, and toss the mandarin segments and chopped egg casually over the top. Divide the herbs between the plates, and spoon the dressing over each serving.
Serves 4.