Slow-Roasted Leeks Recipe

The humble leek seems to be a much underrated vegetable, yet it’s one of the few that still thrives in the colder months and features in many a winter recipe. Leeks take centre stage in a chicken and leek pie, leek and potato soup, and are delicious baked in a cheese sauce – a Christmas dinner staple in my family.

Leeks are best cooked slowly to release their sweet flavour, and slow roasting is hands down my favourite way to cook them. Not only is it a light-touch and really simple method, but it is the best way to develop that buttery soft texture whilst also getting areas that start to crisp and char. The slight bitter flavour perfectly matches the sweet, soft parts in the centre. The fact that such a combination of complex, utterly balanced flavours and textures arises from the simplest of cooking processes is nothing short of alchemy to me.

These silky leeks are perfect as an accompaniment to a Sunday roast, lamb chops, even fish, but I love to eat them squished onto a thick piece of crusty homemade sourdough. They don’t need butter of course and it’s makes a deliciously simple midweek meal.

Prepping the leeks is a crucial step to make sure that they are clean. As leeks grow, soil is piled up around the shaft to get that blanched, white stem-like effect, and so soil and grit easily make their way between the leaves.