Confit Leeks

Serves: 4

leek starter uk vegetarian
Quantity
x

Ingredients

Leeks

  • 2 or 3 leeks, depending on size

Smoked Leek Oil

  • dark green leek tops
  • 0.25 tsp fine salt
  • 1 l neutral oil

Smoky Leek Mayonnaise

  • 250 ml smoked leek oil
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Leek And Parmesan Puree

  • 25 g butter
  • 225 g light green leek tops, finely sliced
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 150 ml whole milk, plus more as needed
  • 150 ml vegetable stock
  • 15 g chives, roughly chopped
  • 20 g parmesan, grated
  • 50 ml double cream
  • lemon juice, to taste
  • fine sea salt, to taste
  • white pepper, to taste

Confit Leeks

  • 750 ml smoked leek oil, or enough to submerge the leeks
  • 2 white leek middles
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • black pepper

Crispy Roots

  • 2 leek roots
  • 50 g rice flour
  • 500 ml neutral oil, or enough to submerge the roots
  • fine sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Leeks

  1. Separate only the tough dark green outer layer: run the knife around one layer at a time rather than cutting straight across where the colour changes. The deeper the layer, the less dark green there is, and the leek ends up looking a little like a leaning tower.
  2. Wash the roots well to remove trapped soil.

Smoked Leek Oil

  1. Lightly coat the dark green leek tops in oil and a little fine salt.
  2. Char them on a grill, over a gas flame, or in a smoking-hot pan, turning until they are very well charred, approaching burnt. Foil under the leeks will protect the hob or pan.
  3. Roughly chop the charred tops, put them in a container, and add just enough oil to cover. Too much oil dilutes the flavour.
  4. Leave them submerged for at least 24 hours. Strain through a fine sieve before using.

Smoky Leek Mayonnaise

  1. Put the smoked leek oil, egg yolks, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and salt in a tall container and blitz with a hand blender until emulsified, starting at the bottom and working up. This takes about 10–15 seconds.
  2. By hand, whisk the egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, salt, and lemon juice, then trickle in the oil very slowly in a steady stream until emulsified.
  3. Taste and adjust the salt and acidity. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

Leek And Parmesan Puree

  1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the light green leeks, shallot, and 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, and stir regularly.
  2. Once they begin to soften, after about 4 minutes, add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring so nothing catches or colours.
  3. Add the vegetable stock and milk, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook covered, or with a cartouche, for 5–10 minutes until completely tender.
  4. Turn off the heat and add the chives, parmesan, and double cream. Blend until completely smooth, adding milk as needed so the puree flows freely.
  5. Taste and adjust the seasoning and acidity. Pass through a fine sieve for a very smooth puree.

Crispy Roots

  1. Cut the roots off the leeks with scissors. Soak them in water for 20 minutes to hydrate, then pat dry.
  2. Heat enough oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to submerge the roots, to 150°C.
  3. Toss the roots in rice flour and fry until golden and crisp, a couple of minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and season with fine sea salt.

Confit Leeks

  1. Heat the oven to 130°C. You should be left with the white bottom section of the leeks.
  2. Place the leeks in a single layer in a snug oven-safe dish, sprinkle with 0.5 tsp salt and plenty of black pepper, and add enough smoked leek oil to just submerge them.
  3. Cook for 2.5 hours, or until completely tender when pierced with a knife.
  4. To serve, pour the puree generously over the bottom of the serving dish. Place the confit leeks on top, dot with the mayonnaise, and cover with the crispy roots.

Notes

Keep the smoked oil left from confiting the leeks. It is smoky and allium-rich, and works as a cooking fat or for another batch of mayonnaise or confit.

If the leeks have no roots, reserve a little of the light green top, slice it lengthways, and fry that instead.

If the mayonnaise splits, start with another egg yolk and whisk in the split mixture very slowly, as if it were oil.

A probe thermometer and a spider or heatproof slotted spoon help with the frying.