Leeks With Toasted Cheese Sauce Food

LEEKS IN CHEESE SAUCE BRITISH CHEESY LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Trim, wash and slice the leeks, about 2 cm thick. Peel and slice the garlic, and pluck the thyme leaves.
• Put a large skillet on medium heat and add a drizzle of oil, the butter, thyme leaves and garlic.
• Sautée until they start to bubble and sizzle, then stir in the leeks.
• Turn the heat down and cook the leeks (stirring every 5-10 minutes) for approximately 35 minutes, or until soft and tender.
• Stir in the cream, milk, sherry, mustard, Worcestershire and ground nutmeg. Transfer to oven-safe casserole dish.
• Top with grated Cheddar and Parmesan and teaspoon sized scoops of cream cheese. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHEESY BACON AND LEEK TOAST

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside 1 1/2 teaspoons of the drippings. Add the leek to the skillet with the bacon and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Combine the milk, 1 tablespoon butter and the mustard powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until the butter melts. Gradually add the cheese; whisk until melted and smooth but do not boil. (The sauce may look separated.) Add the egg yolks and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper.
• Toast the bread and spread with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter; cut in half. Top with the bacon-leek mixture, then cover with the cheese sauce. Toss the watercress with the vinegar and the reserved drippings (rewarm if needed); season with salt and pepper. Serve with the toast.

CHEESY LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly butter a shallow baking dish. (It will need to hold around 1 litre/1¾ pint.)
• A third-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Remove any tough or damaged leaves from the outside of the leeks if not already done. Trim the leeks, leaving all of the white part and some of the green.
• Cut the leeks into roughly 3cm/1¼in pieces and add to the water. Return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, depending on the thickness, or until the leeks are tender. They are ready when the tip of a knife slides in easily. Drain in a colander over a large mixing bowl to reserve the cooking water.
• To make the sauce, return the empty pan to the heat, add the butter and melt gently. Stir in the flour and cook for 10-15 seconds stirring. Gradually add the milk and then a ladleful (around 100ml/3½fl oz) of the reserved cooking liquid, stirring or whisking well between each addition to make a smooth, creamy sauce.
• Add the mustard, half the cheese and season generously with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Scatter the leeks into the baking dish and pour the sauce on top. Mix the remaining cheese with the breadcrumbs, if using, and sprinkle on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

CHEESY LEEKS & HAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Cook the leeks in a pan of boiling salted water for 4-5 mins or until just tender. Drain and cool under a cold tap to stop them from cooking any further, then drain again well and pat dry on kitchen paper.
• Wrap each leek in a slice of ham, then arrange, side-by-side, in a large baking dish. Mix the cheddar in a bowl with the Dijon mustard and crème fraîche, until well combined. Season to taste. Spread over the leeks, then bake for 15-20 mins until bubbling and golden brown. Serve at once with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

LEEKS IN CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C.
• Cut the root-ends from the leeks, and cut them in 5 cm (2 inch) pieces, keeping only the white parts and the tender green inner parts; wash well in water.
• Place the leeks in boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes; drain well, then arrange in a baking dish (I use a 1 1/2 liter size that is 14 1/2 cm square).
• As your leeks are simmering, put the milk, flour, butter, and bay leaf in a saucepan, and mix well.
• Bring to the boil, whisking continuously; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
• Add garlic powder, salt, mustard powder and nutmeg, then 3/4 of the grated cheese, whisking until it is completely melted.
• Remove the bayleaf, then pour the cheese sauce over the leeks.
• Top with remaining cheddar, and bake 20-30 minutes, until golden.
• If possible, let stand 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the cheese sauce to further"set" and to avoid burning your mouth.

LEEK & WENSLEYDALE TOASTIES WITH QUICK PICKLE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan and add the leeks, seasoning and 3 tbsp water. Cook for about 12 mins until soft, adding a little more water if they begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Meanwhile, to make the pickle, mix the cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup and seasoning in a large bowl. Toss in the carrots and apples, then place the beetroot on top, but don't mix through.
• Put a griddle pan over a high heat. Butter all the bread on one side. Mix the leeks and cheese together, then spread over half the slices on the unbuttered side. Top with the remaining slices of bread, butter-side up. Griddle for about 2 mins each side or until the cheese has melted, pressing down with a spatula to seal the pieces together. Toss the beetroot through the pickle, cut the toasties in half and serve together.