Main Courses

 

Blue Cheese and Roasted Leek Tart

Serves 4

Preperation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 25-30 minutes

 

Ingredients:

375 Ready-made rolled puff pastry

4 Baby leeks, well washed with ends trimmed

1 Tbsp Brown sugar

2 Tbsp White wine vinegar

30g Butter

100g Blue cheese, crumbled

 

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.  Unroll the pastry onto a large baking sheet and score a 1/2cm rim around the edge.  Prick the inside of the scored lines with a fork.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rim is puffed up and the pastry is golden brown.

2.  Cut the leeks in half-length ways.  Seperate the leaves on a oiled baking tray, sprinkle with brown sugar and vinegar, and dot with butter.  Roast for 5 minutes or until crisp and golden.

3.  Fill the tart with the cheese and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and top with roasted leeks.  Serve warm.

 

 

Leek and Ham au-gratin

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

4 Leeks

1 Slice ham per person

Cheese Sauce:

1 pt milk

Seasoning

114g Cheddar or Red Leicester cheese, grated

57g Butter

57g Plain flour

Crisps (optional)

 

Method:

1.  Blanch or steam the leeks for approximately 5-10 minutes until tender.

2.  Wrap each leek in a slice of ham and place in the bottom of an oven proof dish.

3.  Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour.

4.  Gradually stir in the milk and keep the mixture smooth.

5.  Return the pan to the heat and stir continuously until the sauce has thickened.

6.  When thickened add the grated cheese and stir until melted.

7.  Pour the sauce over the leeks and sprinkle with a little grated cheese and crisps if desired.  Place in the oven or under the grill until brown.  Serve with crusty bread and a fresh geen salad.

 

 

Leek and Potato Burger

 

Ingredients:

450g Potatoes

225g Cabbage

150g Leeks, finely chopped

80g Mild cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

1.  Peel and boil the potatoes until soft.

2.  De-core and shred the cabbage finely and steam for approximately 5-6 minutes to keep it firm.

3.  Drain and mash the potatoes, add the cabbage, finely chopped leeks and grated cheese.  Mix well.

4.  Shape into burgers

5.  Place under the grill until brown, approximately 5 minutes on each side.

 

 

Creamy Haddock Bake with Leeks

Serves 4

Preperation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 90 minutes

 

Ingredients:

3 Potatoes, skin left on, sliced very finely

4 Fillets of haddock, skinned

2 Leeks, sliced

Fresh thyme stalks, leaves removed

200ml creme fraiche

2 Egg yolks

Grated parmesan to top

 

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius

2.  In a shallow ovenproof dish, layer half the potatoes, then top with the fish, leeks and thyme.  In a bowl, whisk together the creme fraiche and egg yolks and pour over the fish.  Season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

3.  Top with another layer of remaining potatoes and cover with foil, then bake in the oven for about 45-60 minutes.

4.  Remove the foil, top the potatoes with the grated parmesan and return to the oven until the potatoes are browned and crispy.

 

 

Balsamic Salad of Roasted Leek and Red Pepper

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

450g Leeks, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm rounds

2 Red peppers, cut into large chunks

2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp White balsamic vinegar

2 Cloves of garlic, crushed

Generous sprigs of fresh oregano and thyme

Generous sprinkling of ground sea salt and black pepper

25g Pine nuts

Handful rocket leaves

25g Paremsan shaving

 

Method:

1.  Place the prepared vegetables and seasonings in a roasting pan along with the olive oil and balsamic.  Cover with wetted baking paper and scrunch over the vegetables to seal.

2.  Oven roast for 30 minutes until tender and just starting to brown.  Combine with the remaining ingredients and serve.

 

 

Asparagus Risotto

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

500g Asparagus

1 Finely chopped onion

300g Arborio rice

750ml Hot chicken or vegetable stock

75g Butter

50g Freshly grated paremsan cheese

Black pepper

 

Method:

1.  Gently fry the onion in the butter until it becomes translucent.

2.  Add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium heat, stirring so that it gets a good coating of butter.

3.  Add a ladle of hot stock and continue until all the stock has been used, stirring until all the stock has been used.

4.  Meanwhile, steam the asparagus for 3-6 minutes or until tender to the point of a knife.  Chop roughly once it is cooked.

5.  Add a knob of butter, the asparagus, half the parmesan and a good grinding of black pepper to the risotto and give it a stir.

6.  Sprinkle with paremsan to serve.

 

 

Pan Fried Duck Breast

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

4 Duck breasts

2 Bundles of Asparagus, trimmed

Cooked noodles, to serve

Dressing:

2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

5 Tbsp Japanese soy sauce

1 Red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 Clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

4 Tbsp rapeseed oil

2 Tbsp Japanese cooking wine

2cm Ginger, peeled and grated

2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 Lemon, juiced

 

Method:

1.  Score the skin on the duck breasts in a criss-cross, making sure that you don't go through the flesh.  Place the duck, skin side down in a heavy based cold frying pan.  Place on a medium heat and cook slowly for approximately 5 minutes or until the skin is crisp and golden brown.

2.  Turn the duck and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow the duck breasts to rest for 2 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the trimmed asparagus and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Drain and keep warm.

4.  For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together.  

5.  To serve, divide the asparagus between four warmed plates, slice each duck breast into 3 and place on top of the asparagus.  Place the cooked noodles to the side of the duck and spoon over the dressing to finish.

 

 

Griddled Asparagus with Fillet Steak Salad and Horseradish Dressing

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

2 Bundles of Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths

4x 200g Fillet steaks

12 Cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Handfuls rocket leaves

Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 3cm batons

2 Tbsp Olive oil

Horseradish dressing:

4 Tbsp Creamed horseradish

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 Tbsp White wine vinegar

 

Method:

1.  Heat a griddle pan or heavy based frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Griddle the asparagus for 3-4 minutes, making sure that it doesnt brown too much.  Remove from the pan and reserve.

2.  Add the remaining tablespoons of olive oil and fry the steaks for 2-3 minutes on each side depending on how rare you like them.  Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 2 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, mix all the horseradish dressing ingredients together then assemble the asparagus, cherry tomatoes, rocket and cucumber in piles on four serving plates.  Slice the steak into five pieces and place on top of the salad, and finally spoon over the horseradish dressing and season.

 

 

Chicken with Asparagus, Goats Cheese and Tomatoes

Serves 2

 

Ingredients:

4 Asparagus stems

2 Chicken breasts (butterflied)

4 Sun-dried tomatoes

100g Goats cheese

4 Slices Parma ham

10 Cherry tomatoes on the vine

Salt and black pepper to season

Rocket leaves to serve

 

Method:

1.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.  Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the asparagus for three minutes, drain and run under cold water and dry.

2.  Stuff each chicken breast with 2 asparagus stems, 2 sun-dried tomatoes and 50g of goats cheese, wrap each one in Parma ham and secure with a cock-tail stick if needs be.

3.  Warm a pan and add a splash of olive oil, fry one side of the chicken until crisp, turn over the chicken and place the pan in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes until cooked (and juices runs clear).

4.  Roast the tomatoes on the vine for approximately 10 minutes or until the skin cracks.

5.  For an optional sauce, mix 4 tablespoons of pesto sauce with 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche.

7.  Once cooked, slice the chicken horizontally then arrange on a plate (spoon over the sauce if desired) with the rocket salad and roasted tomatoes.