Annabel's Garden

LEEKS AND OTHER ALLIUMS

Leeks are members of the Allium family, sharing their lineage with those other kitchen stalwarts, onions, garlic, and shallots. Asparagus also falls into this family, although in a different genus (Asparagus offiicinalis). The Alliums all share a certain pungency, with garlic and onions being the most potent and leeks and shallots being the sweetest. Chives and spring onions fall somewhere in between. Given their strong raw tastes, it seems surprising that with long, slow cooking they sweeten to soft, rich flavours.

If you slow-cook a whole head of garlic it emerges as a full-flavoured buttery purée. Roasted garlic is great to use for aioli and in risottos or stirred into meat sauces for added depth.

 

ROASTED GARLIC

Cut 3 whole heads of unpeeled garlic in half horizontally. Place in a baking dish and pour over 1 cup olive oil. Cover and bake at 160°C / 325°F until very soft, 30 minutes. Cool, lift out of oil and pop garlic out of skins. Return peeled cloves to the oil, cover and store in the fridge.
Use the oil in dressings or where you want a sweet garlic flavour. Roasted garlic keeps in the fridge for several weeks provided it is covered with oil- you can top up with more oil as needed. Roasted garlic makes a great addition to risottos, pasta dishes, soups and sauces. In Cooking to Impress you will find a terrific recipe for Leek, potato and roasted garlic soup on page 44.

 

ROASTED GARLIC MASH

Mash roasted garlic and its oil into mashed potatoes for a fabulous accompaniment to roast chicken or lamb. I usually allow about 1 head garlic for 4 servings of mash (5 large potatoes).

Roasted Garlic, Leek, Pumpkin & Blue Cheese Risotto

Prepare: 10 minutes
Cook: about 125 minutes

2 heads roasted garlic and 1⁄4 cup of its oil
1 large leek, white and half the green ends, washed and thinly sliced
2 cups Italian short grain rice eg Arborio or Vialone Nano
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup white wine
5 cups hot chicken stock
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and diced 2 cm pieces
zest of 1 lemon
125g crumbled soft blue cheese, eg blue brie
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat garlic oil into a heavy based pot. Add leeks and cook gently until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add rice and rosemary stir over heat for 2 minutes so that rice is coated in oil. Add wine and stir till evaporated. Mix in hot stock, diced pumpkin, zest and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently exactly 17 minutes, stirring often and pressing pumpkin into rice. Mixture should be quite wet and sloppy- if it has dried out add a little more stock or hot water Stir in cheese, adjust seasoning to taste adding plenty of black pepper.
Cover and stand 3-4 minutes before serving.
Serves 4 as a stand alone dish, 6-8 as an accompaniment. Delicious also with roasted lamb racks.

Leeks and shallots cooked gently in butter render into rich, tender sweetness for soups, sauces, pies and toppings. I like to add the green ends of leeks when I make vegetable stock and chicken stock. Cooked in butter until soft, then simmered with a little milk and thickened with cornflour paste, seasoned with nutmeg , salt and pepper, leeks make a soothing side dish, or the basis of a great fricassee, with shredded cooked chicken added. Over the winter I like to make chicken and leek pot pies. Served with mashed potatoes and lightly cooked broccoli, this pie makes a simple yet satifying winter meal. If you are in a hurry you can leave off the pot pie topping and cover with a store- bought sheet of flaky pastry, brushed with milk and sprinkled with a little grated parmesan and finely chopped rosemary. It’s a good dish for a crowd and the recipe can be easily extended.

Chicken and Leek Pot Pie

Preparation time: about 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

600- 800g boneless chicken thighs, or other boneless chicken, diced 3cm pieces
2 tbsp butter
1 large leek, halved, washed and thinly sliced (use white and most of the green part)
250g button mushrooms, sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 bay leaves
1 pkt creamy chicken soup powder (35g) mixed with 2 cups water
salt and ground black pepper

Topping : 1 1/2 cups self raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional), 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary (1/2 tsp dried) 1/2 cup milk, 2 tbsp oil, (or use 1-2 sheets puff pastry if preferred, rolled out and brushed with milk then sprinkled with 2 tsp chopped rosemary and 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese).

Heat oven to 180°C. In a large frypan heat butter and cook leeks over medium heat until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes. Add other vegetables to pan and cook over gentle heat about 10 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add herbs and powdered soup and water mix and bring to a simmer, stirring now and then. Season to taste. Spread chicken pieces out in a baking dish about 30cm x 40cm. Pour hot sauce over and spread out evenly in dish.
Make up topping. Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix to combine and make a well in the centre. Combine oil and milk and pour into well of dry ingredients. Use a knife to mix to a softish dough. Turn out onto a floured board and roll out to fit pie dish. Carefully place onto pie, cut spoke pattern in the dough to portion and brush with milk. Bake at 180°C, until golden, about 30 minutes. Serves 4-5.

Onions, the biggest and most biting of the Alliums, are another vegetable I use a lot over the winter months. They become almost jam-like in their sweetness when cooked long and slow. When fried until crisp they are sweet and nutty. Red onions are softer and have a shorter shelf life than brown onions which can last right through to late spring if stored in a cool dry dark place. I prefer to use red onions where I want a softer fruitier taste, but both brown and red can be used interchangeably, and over long slow cooking both will emerge meltingly tender and sweet.
Either can be used in the following recipe, I prefer the red.

Balsamic Caramelised Onions

This useful brew can be made ahead of time, and will happily keep in the fridge for up to a week. It’s great for all manner of dishes – from quick soups, and tasty weekend tarts, through to steak sauces.

To Prepare: 5 minutes
To Cook: 45 minutes

3 large red onions, peeled, cut in thin wedges
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3⁄4 cup water
salt and ground black pepper

Place sliced onion wedges in a large deep frypan with all other ingredients. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until softened. Remove lid and carry on cooking, stirring often until all the liquid has evaporated, about 20-30 minutes.

 

Serving Ideas

• Toss cooled onions through salad greens with roasted pears, beets or walnuts.
• Simmer with 4 cups beef stock and 1⁄4 cup port for a delicious French onion style soup.
• Toss caramelised onions through baby spinach leaves with currants that have been soaked in orange juice, strips of red pepper, crunchy sprouts, toasted walnuts or almonds and dress with a splash of rice vinegar, Maldon salt, a pinch of sugar and ground black pepper.
• Use as a base for a delicious beef casserole. Heat oven to 160°C. Brown diced cross-cut blade steak and place in a casserole dish with caramelised onions. In a pan, place 1 cup red wine, 2 cups good beef stock and 2 tbsp tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Pour over the meat and onions, cover and bake for 1 1/2- 2 hours until steak is tender.
• Make a port and onion sauce to serve with steak. Prepare a recipe of caramelised onions. Add 1 1/2 cups beef stock and 2 tbsp port mixed with 1 tsp cornflour and simmer. Season to taste. Terrific with steaks, sausages and as a casserole base.

Here the combination of onions cooked slowly with tomato paste and anchovies yields the satisfying mellow flavours of Southern France.