tips thursday
Creamed leeks
Serves: 4 Cooked: on the hob
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes dietary requirements for greens and leeks:
2 large leeks pinch nutmeg
50g butter 50ml cream
25g plain flour salt and pepper
250 milk
1. Trim the very end of the white part of the leek and discard. Trim the green end until you get to the more tightly packed, paler green part, keep the green ends to one side. Cut the remaining leek into 5cm cylinders and wash thoroughly under running water in a colander until you are sure there is no dirt remaining. 2. Put into salted water, bring to the boil and turn the heat down, simmer for 10 minutes or until the leeks are tender and then drain well. Keep in a cool place until needed. These can be cooked in the morning and kept in the fridge. 3. Meanwhile remove any damaged or very rough looking parts of the green leek and then finely shred the rest. Put into a saucepan with the butter, cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes over a gentle heat, the leeks want to be really soft and sweet smelling, this is the only real cooking they will get. Turn off the heat, add the flour and mix well. Add the milk a little at a time and then season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to the boil stiring all the time until the sauce boils, then boil for a minute or so. Turn off the heat, add the cream, adjust seasoning and cover with a piece of cling film or baking paper directly onto the surface( this will prevent a skin forming). You can make this sauce in the morning and store covered in a cool place. 4. Re-heat the leeks, either in a microwave or in a little of the sauce over a gentle heat for 5-10 minutes. Heat the rest of the sauce separately.
To serve: mix the warm leeks with the sauce and serve in a warm serving dish for the guests to help themselves to.
Trio of greens
Serves: 4 Cooked: on the hob
125g frozen peas 1 leek 100g frozen French beans olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes
1. Cut the leek into 10cm lengths and then cut into matchsticks lengthways, wash well in a colander. 2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and as you clear the starter plates, put the peas and leeks into the water and return to the boil. As soon as it is boiling add the frozen beans, cook for 1 minute and drain well. Put the veg back into the saucepan and toss with the olive oil salt and pepper.
To serve: Place the greens in the centre of a warmed dinner plate, topped with the chicken and red pepper sauce. vegetarian: OK
vegan: NO, blanch leeks, toss with olive oil, nutmeg and salt and pepper
dairy free: NO, as vegan
nut free: NO, check nutmeg in leeks with guest
gluten free: NO, blanch leeks, make sauce by boiling 75ml mix milk and cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper and thicken with corn flour
tips thursday
A mix of fresh green flavours, season well but do not over flavour as we have bags of that in our already gorgeous pepper sauce.
Do not cook this ahead, you are after fresh cooked, fresh looking vegetables that act as a back drop to the chicken.