Creamy Leek Sauce
This luscious, lightly cheesy sauce suffused with herb flavours is
delicious with pasta, as a filling for baked potatoes or a quiche. The
addition of crisply fried bacon pieces or some smoked salmon would turn
the dish into a meal.
Stir the sauce into cooked pasta to eat straight away or top with grated
parmesan and bake under the grill or in the oven for a browned topping.
Pile it into a flan case for an instant quiche: either smooth it over
and serve or put in the oven to warm through.
Time taken 30 minutes
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 for a starter
50g
butter
2 large or 3 medium leeks
2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
3 tablespoons ricotta
2 heaped tablespoons mixed chopped parsley, chervil and French tarragon
lemon juice to taste
salt and plenty of black pepper
Prepare and thinly slice the leeks, cut large ones in half before you
slice across and if the leeks are old and becoming a little stringy make
sure that you slice them quite small. Melt the butter in a pan and
gently cook the leeks in it until they are soft. If a lot of liquid
comes out at this stage raise the heat to reduce it but don’t let the
leeks brown. Stir in the yoghurt and ricotta and when well mixed add one
tablespoon of the herbs and some salt and pepper. Continue to simmer
gently for 5 minutes then taste. If the sauce is not the correct
consistency for your purpose, either continue to cook with the lid off
to reduce it, or add a little more yoghurt to thin it. Add more
seasonings if needed, the other tablespoon of herbs and enough lemon
juice to lift the fresh tasting elements. The sauce should be creamy but
not cloying.