This recipe is created by one of our Mindful Collaborators and Chefs named Kathy Slack. It is from her book ‘From the Veg Patch‘ and has also been featured on the Nutrition App Zoe.
Make the most of seasonal produce with this dish of roasted leeks served on a bed of polenta flavoured with cheese and herbs.
Introduction
This is a recipe for your prize-winning leeks. You know, the two-foot-long ones that you grew in a drainpipe that won first prize in the village show. No? No, me neither. My leeks are usually more stout, fat nonnas than Amazonian goddesses, but it’s nice to dream. Long, silky leeks draped over a creamy bed of polenta is a beautiful thing, but a stockier leek will taste just as good in this quick and comforting supper.
Total time: 40mins
Ingredients
| 2 | large leeks, trimmed and washed |
| 8 tbsp | extra virgin olive oil (Todelli recommends using single farm Olive oil to ensure transparency and know exactly it’s nutritional value) |
| 2 | garlic cloves, crushed |
| 2 tsp | chopped thyme leaves |
| 2 tsp | cider vinegar (Todelli recommends using either organic or biodynamic vinegar, we work with a UK farm that produce their own Vinegar called Ostlers Cider Mill) |
| 4 tbsp | pine nuts |
| 400ml | whole milk |
| 50g | butter |
| 100g | quick-cook polenta |
| 4 tbsp | grated Parmesan cheese |
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
Slice the leeks in half lengthways from top to bottom. Arrange in a roasting tin, cut-side up, then drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover the tin tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for a further 15 minutes, by which time the leeks will be soft and golden at the edges.
Meanwhile, mix the garlic in a bowl with the remaining oil, and the thyme, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat the milk and butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the polenta in a steady stream and stir for 3 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat, season liberally with salt and then stir in the grated Parmesan.
To serve, spoon the polenta onto warm plates, then pile the roast leeks on top, drizzle over the dressing and finish with a scattering of toasted pine nuts.
Discover more recipes from Kathy Slack Here
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