Leek season: Three recipes to make the most of the versatile veg

Lucy Parker shares three ways to cook with the quintessentially British ingredient

These three recipes celebrate an often overlooked vegetable (Lucy Parker)

It’s peak leek season, and for anyone not adding the versatile veg to their supermarket baskets, these recipes prove that you’re missing out.

A quintessentially British ingredient – one even appeared on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation gown – they are essentially an all-purpose tool for upgrading practically any recipe, whether it’s inspired by east Asian or Welsh cuisine.

With only a few more months to enjoy leeks at their best, now’s the time to dive in and enjoy this national symbol of deliciousness.

Lucy Parker, vegan food aficionado and foodie influencer, has shared three recipes with The Independent for both newbies and longtime fans.

Crispy tofu, leek and chilli stir-fry

A quick and easy midweek recipe (Lucy Parker)

Serves: 2

Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1 small leek, sliced thinly

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

1 green chilli, thinly sliced

1 lime

200g tofu, 2cm cubed

1 tbsp sesame seeds

80g udon noodles or wheat noodles

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp tamari (sub for soy sauce)

1 tsp mirin

1 tsp brown sugar

Method:

Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to a wok, place on a high heat.

Once hot add the chilli and ginger and fry for a few minutes before adding the garlic and tofu.

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, squeeze of ½ lime and remaining sesame oil then add to the wok.

Add the udon noodles to a pot of boiling water and simmer for five minutes.

Toss the wok allowing each side of the tofu to cook then add in the thinly sliced radish and leeks, ½ the sesame seeds then add in the cooked noodles with a splash of the water from the pot, and fry together on a high heat for the final 2-3 minutes.

Garnish with ¼ lime, a sprinkle of sesame seeds. We recommend serving with chilli crisp oil.

Leek and mushroom pithivier

A refined pie to make for British Pie Week next month (Lucy Parker)

Serves: 2-4

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 leek, thinly sliced (including green tips)

1 butternut squash, cubed

1 tsp dried thyme and dried rosemary

250g mushrooms, mixed

4 sage leaves

125ml vegan cream

1 tbsp tamari mixed with 1 tbsp melted vegan butter

1 sheet of puff pastry (375g)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C fan. Roughly dice the butternut into cubes, place on a baking tray, drizzle in olive oil, salt, dried rosemary and thyme, toss to coat, then pop in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the leeks and mushrooms, chop two of the sage leaves then add all to a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil, season heavily with salt and pepper and fry for 5 minutes. Once the butternut has cooked, add to the pan with the leeks then add the vegan cream, tossing to ensure everything is coated. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out onto a flat surface. Fold the sheet of pastry in half, then cut a circle shape (this will form the base and the dome on top) place one of the circles on a lined baking tray, then spoon on the filling leaving a 2cm gap around the very edge so you can seal the pie. Once you’ve added the filling to one half, add the other circle of pastry on top and pinch the edges together, you can create a pattern or simply overlap and pinch with a fork.

Brush the melted butter and tamari mix over the pie crust, score with a pattern then place in the fridge to cool for around 5 minutes (enough time to preheat the oven to 200C fan). Pop in the oven on the middle tray for around 25-30 minutes or until the pastry has turned golden and flakey. Enjoy with gravy or with steamed veggies.

Vegan Welsh rarebit with leeks

Perhaps the most famous Welsh dish of them all (Lucy Parker)

Serves: 1

Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

2 large slices bread

1 tbsp vegan butter

100g grated cheese (cheddar, I used vegan)

110ml oat milk

¾ tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp English mustard (sub for ½ tsp dijon mustard)

½ small leek, diced

Pinch salt

Method:

Start by preheating the grill to 200C.

Place two slices of bread under the grill to lightly toast on both sides.

In the meantime, melt the butter, grated cheese, vegan Worcestershire sauce, mustard and oat milk together in a non stick pan, slice the leeks and add those to the pan.

Once the bread has toasted on each side scoop the cheesy leek topping to the toast then pop back under the grill for a few more minutes until the cheese starts to bubble and slightly brown.

Enjoy with a pinch of salt and your favourite fresh herb, chives or parsley work brilliantly.