As part of a recent #paidpartnership with british-leeks.co.uk, I teamed up with my friend Laura Graham of The Tidy Kitchen Company to showcase the versatility of the humble British leek. This hardy green vegetable is a staple in my house as it’s cheap, easy to get hold of, keeps well in the fridge and can add flavour and bite to a huge range of savoury dishes.
Here’s Laura’s simple recipe for a rich and creamy strata made with layers of milk, eggs, cheese and bread, all baked into a puffy casserole. As well as using the humble leek, this recipe also showcases one of Wales’ best loved soft cheeses, Perl Wen. This is a unique cross between a traditional Brie and a Caerffili cheese, made by Carwyn Adams of Caws Cenarth on his Carmarthenshire family farm.
Though you could eat this anytime, I think this recipe is just perfect for a slap-up, weekend brunch.
The Tidy Kitchen’s Leek, Kale & Perl Wen Strata
Approx. prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 35 – 40 minutes | Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 x sourdough loaf, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 x finely chopped shallot
- 200g Perl Wen cheese
- Handful of kale leaves, trimmed, roots removed
- 2 x garlic cloves or 1 tsp garlic paste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 British leeks, sliced into rounds
- 8 free range eggs
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 100ml double cream
- 200ml whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 190c (fan assisted) / 200c (non-fan).
- Butter an ovenproof serving dish and pop to one side
- Sweat leeks in oil with finely chopped shallots over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft
- Add the kale and soften slightly and then pop mixture into greased dish
- Mix together milk, cream, eggs, Dijon, pepper and salt and pour over leek mix and chopped sourdough
- Scatter chopped pearl wen and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown all over, let cool slightly before serving
Serving suggestion: serve with a fresh, dressed green salad for dinner – or with plenty of fresh coffee & a Bloody Mary as a luxurious brunch.
