Recipes with leeks

Melanie says: 'Leeks are a natural companion to melted cheese - I've added a few extra healthy ingredients here to make this a little less guilt-inducing, but still entirely delicious.'

Salmon-and-leek gratin with quinoa-flake-and-seed crumble

Serves 4

Ingredients

20g butter, plus more for greasing

2 medium leeks 50ml white wine 300g salmon 300ml single cream 150ml whole milk

2 cloves garlic, crushed

For the crumble topping

50g quinoa flakes

75g grated cheese, such as Cheddar

25g pumpkin seeds 25g sunflower seeds 15g linseeds

15g sesame seeds 50g butter

Seasoning

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Make a cut down the centre of the leeks, then flay open the leaves under running cold water to clean them and wash away any grit. Slice into thin rounds and place in a frying pan with the butter. Cook gently to ensure the leeks don’t brown and, once the butter has melted, add a splash of white wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced.

Cut the salmon into large chunks and arrange in a buttered oven- proof dish, then add the leeks all over and around. Place the cream, milk and garlic in a jug and mix well. Pour over the fish and season.

In a bowl, combine the quinoa flakes, cheese and seeds. Cut the butter into cubes and then use your fingertips to rub it all together into a crumble. Arrange it over the fish, making sure not to push it down, but to let it sit lightly on top. Place the fish in your pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the fish cooked through.

Serve immediately, with lemon on the side and lightly dressed salad leaves.

More ways with leeks

Rolled-leek and prawn salad with yuzu dressing

Cut two leeks lengthways. Cook in boiling water for 4–5 minutes or until completely soft. Drain the leeks and then roll each piece individually, layer by layer. Quickly fry 300g prawns with a little chilli, chopped parsley and butter. Scatter over the rolled leeks. Make a dressing by using 50ml yuzu juice (available in supermarkets) 50ml grape-seed oil, , 20ml soy sauce, pepper and a crushed clove of garlic. Pour over the salad and serve.

Yummiest cheesy bacon- and-leek risotto Fry a chopped onion in olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add two chopped rashers of smoked bacon and three washed and sliced leeks. Fry until soft. Add a little more olive oil and pour in 300g risotto rice. Stir until the grains are coated. Add 150ml white wine and allow to absorb. Add 500ml vegetable stock and, once absorbed, add a further 500ml vegetable stock. Once cooked, remove from the heat and stir through 20g butter and 150g grated Cheddar. Leave to rest with a lid on and it will become deliciously creamy. Stir through and serve in bowls with a grating of Parmesan on top.

Speedy leek-and-bacon puff-pastry tart Fry a few sliced leeks in a pan with olive oil until soft. Take a sheet of puff pastry and spread with soft cheese. Scatter the leeks and then add two finely sliced rashers of bacon. Sprinkle with Cheddar and brush the edges with beaten egg yolk. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes until golden.

** See more recipes from Country Life