GRIDDLED LEEKS WITH HAZELNUT DRESSING

Griddled leeks with hazelnut dressing image

A light, citrussy vegetarian starter - it's just as good at room temperature if you don't want to do last-minute griddling

Provided by Sarah Cook

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

20-24 baby leeks , about 5-6 per person depending on size, trimmed
85g hazelnut , toasted
4 tbsp olive oil , plus a little extra for griddling
juice ½ orange
juice ½ lemon
2 tsp sherry vinegar
small bunch parsley , leaves picked and chopped

Steps:

Arrange the leeks in a wide, lidded pan, so they're no more than 2 leeks deep at any point, then pour over enough boiling water to cover. Cover the pan and cook for 4-6 mins until just tender. Drain, refresh in cold water, then drain again. Now set aside until you are ready to serve.
Whizz the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped but not powdery, or chop by hand. Mix with the oil, citrus juices and vinegar. Season well.
To serve, heat a griddle or frying pan and toss the leeks in some oil. Griddle batches for 1 min on each side until slightly charred and warmed through, then put onto 4 plates. Stir the parsley into the nutty dressing, spoon over and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 318 calories, Fat 31 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 6 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 4 grams sugar, Protein 5 grams protein, Sodium 0.01 milligram of sodium