Confited Leek

Ingredients

• 1 kg leek (cut into 2 cm thick slices; only the white and light green parts; 620 g)
• 10 garlic cloves (peeled)
• 10 g thyme sprig
• 200 ml olive oil
• 150 g Puy lentils (washed)
• 60 ml lemon juice (from 2–3 lemons)
• 5 g parsley leaf (coarsely chopped)
• 5 g dill tips (coarsely chopped)
• 5 g tarragon leaves (coarsely chopped)
• Salt
• black pepper
• 100 g confited leek (see Spoonsparrow tip)
• 5 g confited garlic cloves (see Spoonsparrow tip)
• 100 g crème double
• 0.75 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 160 °C fan.

2. 2.

   Rinse the leek slices in plenty of water to remove dirt. Drain, then pat dry, keeping the slices intact.

3. 3.

   Mix leeks, garlic, thyme, 1 tsp salt and a generous pinch of pepper in an ovenproof dish (30 × 20 cm). Pour over the oil. Spread the leek slices flat in the dish. Seal tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove, flip the slices. Re-cover with foil and bake another 35 minutes. Take out, raise temperature to 180 °C fan.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile cook lentils in plenty of boiling water for 12–15 minutes until tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

5. 5.

   Add 100 g confited leek and five garlic cloves to a bowl. Mix the lentils with 1/4 tsp salt and a generous pinch of pepper into the remaining leeks, gently folding in. Re-cover the dish with foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove (take off foil) and rest 10 minutes. Discard thyme.

6. 6.

   While lentils are baking, blend the weighed leek and five garlic cloves with crème double, mustard, lemon juice and a generous pinch of pepper until smooth.

7. 7.

   Before serving stir in 60 ml lemon juice and chopped herbs into the leek‑lentil mixture. Transfer to a rimmed plate; serve the leek cream separately in a bowl.