Miso Roast Leeks
The Farm & Feast season has started! And I’m delighted we’re back designing, testing and eating for our weekly recipes to match up with our weekly veg boxes. This one makes the most of our overwintered leeks and shallots!
My mate Jemma came round the other week, determined to make these fancy leeks she’d seen on Instagram (thank you Jemma and Chef Thom Bateman!). This is an adaptation of that recipe based on my poor memory of what we did that evening. Enjoy!
Serves 4
For the crispy chilli oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon chilli flakes
2 large shallots, halved and sliced thinly
180ml sunflower oil
2 tablespoon soy sauce
500g Leeks
For the miso marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon lime juice or white rice vinegar (or a combination of both)
Make the miso marinade by combining the soy sauce, miso paste, honey or brown sugar, sesame oil and lime juice and/or vinegar.
Trim and wash your leeks. Cut your leeks into inch thick circles, put the leeks into a bowl, pour over the marinade and stir until all the leeks have been coated. Set aside for 10 minutes and preheat your oven to 200°C
In the meantime, make the crispy chilli oil. Combine the sugar, salt, paprika, chilli powder and chilli flakes in a bowl.
Peel, halve and finely slice the shallots.
Put the shallots in a small pan with the sunflower oil on a medium heat. Keep an eye on them and spoon out the shallots in another bowl, when they begin to brown. They will darken slightly after you taken them out so be careful!
When the sunflower oil has cooled. Pour in over the spice sugar mix, and then stir in the crispy shallots and the soy sauce.
Lay the leeks in a single layer in a casserole dish or baking tray. Pour over the miso marinade and bake for 10 minutes.
After 15 minutes baste the leeks with the marinade and place back in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, until the leeks are tender.
Serve hot, on a bed of jasmine rice with your lovely crispy chilli oil generously spooned over the leeks.
We dressed our leeks with kale and honesty flowers - sprigs of coriander would also be a nice addition.
