Leek gratin

Vibrant leeks are coated in a silky cheesy sauce and baked with breadcrumbs and seeds for a crispy topping in our leek gratin recipe.

Ingredients

• leek - 2 (washed and sliced into 2cm rings)
• unsalted butter - 90 gs
• garlic - 3 cloves (sliced)
• flour - 60 gs
• whole milk - 600 milliliters
• bay leaf - 1
• mature cheddar - 150 gs (grated)
• Worcestershire sauce - 0.5 tsp (optional – omit to make the dish vegetarian)
• Dijon mustard - 1 tbsp
• tabasco - (to taste)
• salt -
• black pepper - (freshly ground)
• Panko breadcrumbs - 2 tbsps
• sunflower seeds - 1 tbsp
• black pepper - (freshly ground)

Instructions

1. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add 30g of the butter. Once melted, add the leeks and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the leeks have started to soften but remain bright green. Set aside
2. Gently bring the milk to the boil in a small pan with the bay leaf – keep an eye on it as it bubbles over quickly
3. Meanwhile, place a saucepan over a medium heat with the flour and remaining butter inside. Use a spatula to stir the ingredients into a paste (a roux) and cook for a minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Whisk in the warmed milk (discarding the bay leaf) bit by bit until you have a thick, smooth sauce
4. Beat in the cheddar, reserving a big handful for the crumb topping. Once fully melted into the sauce, add in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Season to taste with salt and pepper
5. Preheat an oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
6. Stir the leeks into the sauce, then tip out into an ovenproof dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs, remaining grated cheese and sunflower seeds and cover with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
7. Cook in the oven for 30–40 minutes and serve up hot