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How to cook leeks sous vide

by Great British Chefs6 November 2015

How to cook leeks sous vide

Leeks can be difficult to cook whole as the outside is often overcooked while the middle is still crunchy. Cooking them sous vide prevents this from happening as the low, constant temperature allows the leeks to be cooked exactly the same all the way through.

1
Preheat the water bath to 85°C
2
Trim the leeks but leave the base intact as this will help it hold their shape while cooking
3
Place the leeks in a vacuum bag in a single layer with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt then vacuum seal the bag
4
Place the bag in the preheated water bath to cook for 30 minutes or until the leeks feel soft when gently squeezed
5
Remove the leeks from the bag and drain on kitchen paper

Variations

For a luxurious twist, add a dash of truffle oil to the bag when cooking but be sure to use a very small amount as it can be overpowering.

You could also try adding a little bacon fat or butter to the bag instead of the oil – both will give the leeks a really rich flavour.

Serving suggestions

Try Steve Drake’s smoky Grilled leek, aubergine and mushroom dish for a vegetarian main course or Martin Wishart’s classic Leeks vinaigrette with egg mimosa. Henry Harris jazzes up his leeks vinaigrette with a poached duck egg, deep fried snails and bacon, while Russell Brown makes the most of delicate baby leeks in his sous vide dish.

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