LEEK four ways

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1 Start with the pickled leek – it needs 24 hours in the refrigerator. Boil the vinegar, sugar and 300 ml (10 fl oz/1¼ cups) of water in a saucepan. Wash and remove the outer layer of the leek, save the green parts for making the leek ash. Cut the leek into slices ½ cm (¼ in) thick and press out the leek rings as much as possible. Boil 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) of water in a saucepan with the salt. Blanch the leek rings in the hot water for a few seconds then drain in a colander and rinse the leeks under cold running water. Place the leeks in a bowl and pour the syrup over, cover with a lid or cling film (plastic wrap) and put in the refrigerator.

Step 2

2 To make the leek ash, set the oven to the highest temperature. Take the leftover green parts from the leeks and cut into long, thin, flat pieces. Place them on a baking sheet and put in the oven for a few minutes until the leeks are completely black. Remove the baking sheet and turn over the leaves. Return to the oven and let the other side turn black. Remove and leave to cool. Use a hand-held blender or food processor to blend the black leaves into a fine powder.

Step 3

3 Add charcoal or firewood to half of the barbecue (grill) so that you have space to roast the leeks using indirect heat later. Light the barbecue and once it is burning strongly, place the leeks on the grill or straight onto the charcoal so that the outer layer burns. Put the grill on top of the barbecue and position the leeks on the side away from the flames. Close the lid and roast using indirect heat for 20–30 minutes until the leeks are soft all the way through. You can measure the core temperature – it should preferably be above 85°C (185°F) in the middle.

Step 4

4 Cut the leek into pieces as shown in the picture, then set the diagonally cut pieces aside. Use the leftover pieces for the mayonnaise.

Step 5

5 Warm up the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the leftover pieces of leek together with the parsley. Cook until soft, around 10 minutes. Pour everything into a food processor. Blend until smooth then pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and leave to cool. Add the mayonnaise and stir to ensure everything is well combined.

Step 6

6 Place a piece of grilled leek onto each plate. Drizzle a teaspoon of sesame oil, add some cashew crumbs along the sides and top with the pickled leeks. Sprinkle a few pinches of leek ash and dollop a generous spoonful of mayonnaise on top.