“Baby leeks have a lovely sweet flavour and when roasted become beautifully caramelised ”
Ingredients
- 20 baby leeks
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cloves garlic , peeled and sliced
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. I like to serve 4 or 5 baby leeks per person, depending on their size. Lightly trim both ends and peel back the first or second layer of leaves and discard. Drop the leeks in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes to soften – this is called blanching. Drain them well (if there’s too much water in them they won’t roast properly) and toss in a bowl with a good lug of olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, the chopped thyme leaves and the garlic. Arrange the leeks in one layer in a baking tray or earthenware dish and roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes until golden and almost caramelized. Keep your eye on them – I’ve seen many chefs burn baby leeks when cooking them this way and it drives me mad!
Source: Jamie Oliver
