Cheesy leeks on toast

Sweet silky leeks and mature Cheddar piled onto toasted sourdough

This month I'm on a bit of a mission to get back into eating more seasonally. I do genuinely think food tastes better in season, it’s more likely to be local so less air miles and often fresher, too. And it’s generally cheaper - bonus! It can be a bit more challenging in the winter though, when in the UK we definitely have less choice than in the abundant summer months.

But when you start to look into it, there is definitely more choice than it might appear at first glance. Cauliflower, leeks, celery, chicory, onions and cabbage are all great at the moment and root veg are plentiful too - think parsnips, celeriac, beetroot, swede and Jerusalem artichokes. On the fruit front, how about some forced rhubarb or vibrant blood oranges?

This simple dish makes leeks the star and it's perfect for a weekend lunch. The leeks are quickly sauteed until sweet and silky and then piled onto the bread with a topping of salty cheese. You could cook the leeks ahead of time if you're organised, quickly reheating when you're ready to eat. And I've used mature Cheddar but feel free to ring the changes with the cheese - this is a perfect way to use up any leftovers hanging around in the fridge. Thyme leaves are a nice addition if you have some to hand but it's still absolutely delicious without them.

I like to eat this with a pile of green leaves on the side - watercress works especially well. I've given approximate quantities per person but if you're especially hungry you might want to make more!

Ingredients

Per person you will need:

Small knob butter or splash of rapeseed oil

1 medium leek, trimmed, washed and sliced

1-2 slices sourdough bread

20-30g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Sprig or two of thyme, leaves picked (optional) 

Method

1. Preheat your grill.

2. Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan and saute the leeks over a low-moderate heat for about 10 mins until they are fairly soft. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't brown - turn the heat down if they start to catch.

3. Meanwhile pop the bread under the grill to lightly toast on both sides.

4. Stir the thyme leaves into the leeks and cook for 1 min more.

5. Pile the leeks generously onto the sourdough toast and top with grated cheese.

6. Put the whole thing back under the grill for a couple of mins until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling slightly. This doesn't take long so watch it carefully - you don't want it to brown too much!