Week 34 - Leek, walnut and lentil gratin with a red salad
Leek, walnuts and green lentils with a crispy feta topping served with a vibrant tomato and pomegranate salad.
Basic ingredients (4 people)
2-3 medium leeks
1 lemon/lime
1 red onion
1 pomegranate
Punnet of best quality cherry tomatoes you can afford
Small bag of watercress
Big handful of walnuts/pine nuts
100g breadcrumbs (or panko if you can find them)
Herbs and spices: jarred garlic (4 cloves), smokey paprika, fresh mint or parsley (your choice), 100ml nice stock or bouillon, fresh/dry chilli (optional)
Luxury ingredients (optional)
Feta cheese block
30g butter
Pumpkin seeds
2 handful frozen peas
Selection of our gratins and red salads prepared by the foodies in this week's class
PREP
Oven on 180° (fan) · boil kettle and make 100ml of stock · defrost peas (if using)
Put an oven proof dish in the oven with as much butter as your heart can handle (~30g is good) and 3 cloves of minced garlic (1tbsp jarred cheat garlic).
While this is warming up, slice your leeks. Then mix the sliced leeks in the garlic butter and sprinkle over 1-2tsp smoked paprika and lots of black pepper - stick dish back in the oven.
Let's get on to the salad while the leeks caramelise...
Red salad
Slice a small red onion thinly and put on the bottom of your serving dish. Cover with juice of half lemon/lime. On top, layer:
pomegranate seeds
halved tomatoes
small handful fresh chopped green herbs (mint/parsley)
your green salad leaves (watercress/cress/lambs lettuce etc)
optional: pumpkin seeds/walnuts (but don't use all of them because most are for the gratin)
Just before serving, mix everything together and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic if you like.
Excellent salad bowls from Chef Terry, Vanda89vandi and @Pollyevanss
Gratin
After 20 mins, take your leeks out of the oven and mix in:
Tin of drained green lentils
Handful of walnuts and pumpkin seeds
Frozen peas (if using)
Chopped fresh chilli or chilli flakes (to taste)
Can of coconut cream (~160ml) + 100ml of stock
Top with your panko breadcrumbs and top with crumbled feta. Drizzle with olive oil and stick back in the oven for another 20mins.
Delicious, from @greenhoops_eco
Now get on with the washing up and enjoy the rich aromas filling the kitchen.
Join us for a future Tuesday cooking class or view all past recipesTag us on Instagram if you use any of these recipes and we'll add you to our story! @cookwithkelly
Gratin recipe inspiration from Rukmini Iyer, @missminifer