Confit leeks with puy lentils and leek cream
Leeks haven't quite had the trendy makeover that cauliflower and kale have had. But, they deserve better - leeks have a sweetness and fragrance that is more subtle than that of other alliums, but which really sings when paired with cream and earthy foods like lentils. This recipe pairs well with a Sunday roast, and will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, gently warm it in a pan with a splash of water.
Extracted from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Extra Good Things by Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Press, £25) All photography by Elena Heatherwick
Noor and Yotam say: “Cooking the leeks in this way gently softens them without colouring, and releases their allium flavour into the oil. Blending the confit leeks with cream creates a lovely sauce to bring the whole dish together, which could easily stand as a substitute for gravy alongside your choice of protein. If you can’t find puy lentils, then swap them out for other lentils, such as green or beluga. Serve this dish warm or at room temperature, and eat alongside some roasted potatoes, if you like.”
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 1kg medium leeks, trimmed, cut into 2cm-thick rounds (white and light green parts only, 620g trimmed weight)
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 10g of thyme sprigs
- 200ml of olive oil
- 150g of puy lentils, washed (dried lentils not cooked)
- 60ml of lemon juice, from 2-3 lemons
- 5g of parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 5g of dill, roughly chopped
- 5g of tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Leek Cream
- 100ml of double cream
- 3/4 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/gas mark 4
Soak the cut leek rounds in a large bowl of water to get rid of any excess grit. Drain, then pat dry, being sure to keep the rounds intact
- 1kg medium leeks, trimmed, cut into 2cm-thick rounds (white and light green parts only, 620g trimmed weight)
Put the leeks, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper into a baking dish roughly 30cm x 20cm in size. Mix gently to combine, then pour over the oil. Arrange the leeks so they are cut side up, then cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 10g of thyme sprigs
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 200ml of olive oil
Remove from the oven and gently turn the leeks over. Cover again with foil and return to the oven for 35 minutes more, until completely softened. Remove from the oven and turn the temperature up to 180°C fan/gas mark 6
Meanwhile, cook the lentils in plenty of boiling water for 12–15 minutes, or until tender but not at all mushy. Drain well and set aside
- 150g of puy lentils, washed (dried lentils not cooked)
When ready, remove the confit leeks from the oven and transfer 100g of the cooked leeks plus five garlic cloves to a bowl. Add the lentils to the remaining leeks in the baking dish along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and mix gently to combine. Cover again with the foil and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and leave to settle for 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs
While the lentils are in the oven, make the leek cream. Add the measured-out leeks (100g) and garlic (5 cloves) to a food processor along with the cream, mustard, lemon juice and ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and blitz until smooth
- 100ml of double cream
- 3/4 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
- salt
When ready, stir the 60ml of lemon juice and the chopped herbs into the lentil and leek mixture. Transfer to a rimmed platter and serve with the leek cream in a bowl alongside
- 60ml of lemon juice, from 2-3 lemons
- 5g of parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 5g of dill, roughly chopped
- 5g of tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
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