Leek And Potato Soufflé With Ham And Fontina Food

LEEK AND POTATO SOUFFLé WITH HAM AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In well-salted water, boil the potatoes until tender, then drain, put in a large mixing bowl and mash with the half-and-half. Cool slightly.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened but still bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the cooked leeks to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add the cayenne, nutmeg, ham and Fontina or Gruyère. Mix well, taste and adjust seasoning. (It should be fairly well seasoned, as the egg, when added, will dilute the flavor.) Beat in the 3 egg yolks.
• Butter a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with half the grated Parmesan.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the beaten whites into the potato mixture to lighten and thin it slightly. Quickly fold in the remaining whites, then scrape the soufflé batter into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until nicely browned. Check the center for doneness with a paring knife or skewer. May rest 10 minutes before serving.

HAM, LEEK & POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan, melt the butter, then add the onion and leeks. Cover, then very gently cook for 15 mins until soft. Add the potatoes after 5 mins cooking.
• Stir in the flour, turn up the heat, then add the stock, stirring until the mix thickens a little. Take off the heat, then stir in the crème fraîche, mustard and ham. Season to taste, then cool, if you have time. Spoon the mix into a large pie dish, adding a couple of bay leaves. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut a pastry strip the same width as the lip of the dish, wet the edge of the dish with egg, then fix the strip around it. Brush the top with egg, then lay over the remaining pastry.
• Trim pastry to the edge of the dish, then ruffle the cut edges with the knife blade to help the layers rise. Cut a few slits to let the steam escape, decorate with bay leaves, if you like, then brush all over the top with egg. Can be done up to a day ahead, keep chilled. Bake for 30 mins until risen.

POTATO, LEEK, HAM, AND CHEESE GRATIN

Steps:

• place potatoes in water.
• boil and drain.
• set aside.
• cook leek in pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat, covered, for about 10 minute or until tender.
• remove leeks from pan and set aside.
• in same pan add broth, mustard, pepper and stir until blended.
• add flour and milk.
• stir to combine.
• bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens.
• remove from heat.
• spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
• pour 1cup milk mixture into pan.
• arrange 2 1/3 Cup potatoes over mixture.
• then add 1 1/2 cups of diced ham, and then 1 Cup leek, then 1/2 cheese.
• repeat the layers once.
• top with remaining potatoes and the rest of the milk mixture.
• top with remaining cheese.
• bake at 375 for 45 minutes until browned and bubbly.

LEEK, POTATO AND HAM FRITTATA WITH PARMIGIANO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat a 12-inch nonstick saute pan with 3/4 cup oil, add the leeks to the pan, season with salt and bring to a medium heat. Cook until the leeks are starting to soften and are very aromatic, 5 to 6 minutes. Toss in the potatoes, season with a little more salt and the crushed red pepper, about 3 minutes. Add the ham and the remaining 1/4 cup of oil. Cook, stirring occasionally to be sure the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pan, until the potatoes start to soften, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat the eggs with about 2 tablespoons water to a smooth consistency in a bowl, then add a heavy pinch of salt and half the grated cheese and beat together until the eggs and cheese are a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
• Using a colander or mesh strainer, carefully strain out the excess olive oil from the potato-leek mixture and reserve. Return the potato-leek mixture to the pan and stir in the eggs. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the eggs start to cook around the outside edges of the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the eggs are cooked through, about 18 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven. Place a snug fitting lid or a baking sheet on the pan, then hold the handle of the lid, swing the pan and flip the frittata onto the pan lid. Commit to it! It's fun! Slide the frittata onto a plate. You can serve this hot or at room temperature.
• Toss the mixed greens with the red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the reserved potato-leek oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Serve with slices of the frittata.
• You gotta break some eggs to make frittata!

LEEK, POTATO, AND FONTINA TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek; sauté 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Set aside.
• Place potato and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
• Drain. Place 1 tablespoon butter, potato mixture, 1/4 cup cheese, chives, and next 4 ingredients (chives through egg) in a large bowl; mash with a potato masher.
• Lightly coat a 10 1/2-inch round removable-bottom tart pan with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto a lightly floured surface; let rest 5 minutes.
• Pat dough into bottom and up sides of pan. Spread the potato mixture into dough. Spread leek over potato mixture, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese.
• Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until puffed and set. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack.