AI-generated image
Gratin de poireaux
Leek gratin
Gratin de poireaux: northern French braised leeks baked in béchamel with Comté
FrenchGratin de poireaux is the winter comfort dish of northern France, from Picardy to Flanders, where leeks grow through the cold months and turn up at almost every family supper. The leeks are gently braised in butter until sweet, laid in a dish, covered with a nutmeg béchamel and grated Comté and baked until golden. Comté is made with animal rennet and raw milk; use a vegetarian or pasteurised hard cheese if needed. The common mistake is leaving grit in the leeks; wash them well between the layers. Chef's tip: braise the leeks covered with a splash of water before baking; they turn silky and never squeak.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 6 leekstrimmed and well washed, cut in 6 cm lengths
- 2 ⅛ oz butterdivided
- 4 tbsp water
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ oz plain flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp black pepper
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/3 doneStep 2: Melt the rest of the 1 ⅜ oz butter, stir in the 1 ¼ oz plain flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the 2 cups whole milk gradually and simmer for 5 minutes until thick. Season with 1 pinch ground nutmeg, ½ tsp black pepper and the rest of the ⅜ tsp salt, and stir in half the 1 ⅜ oz grated Comté or vegetarian hard cheese.
8 minStep 3: Pour the sauce over the leeks, scatter with the rest of the 1 ⅜ oz grated Comté or vegetarian hard cheese and bake for 18–20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gratin de poireaux take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of leeks?
- 1 onion per leek.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Mexican
Sandwich grecKebab baguette
In Paris, a "grec" is the late-night kebab sandwich named after the Greek-run shops that first sold it in the Latin Quarter. On rue de la Huchette and rue Saint-André-des-Arts near Saint-Michel, students queue after a night out for crusty bread or pitta stuffed with meat shaved from a turning spit, lettuce, tomato and onion, a garlicky white sauce, and, the Paris touch, a handful of fries pushed right inside. This home version marinates chicken thighs in spiced yoghurt, sears them hard and slices them thin, with oven fries. It contains milk, egg (in the mayonnaise) and wheat. Chef's tip: slice the meat thinly across the grain after resting; thick chunks don't feel like a grec.
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushroomsBraised tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
Vietnamese