Leek Northumbria

Northumbria is the rugged northeast corner of England, and the cooking from that region leans hearty, dairy-rich, and unfussy in the best way. This dish is a perfect example. Leeks are split into quarters lengthwise and boiled until tender, then arranged on a shallow dish and blanketed with bechamel sauce and a generous handful of grated sharp cheese. A trip under the broiler (called the salamander in old British kitchens) browns the cheese into a bubbling, golden crust. The trick with leeks is the quartering technique. Splitting them in four lets you wash out the grit that hides between the layers and gives the bechamel a place to soak in. The cheese should be a sharp, mature cheddar or its equivalent. Anything mild gets lost under the bechamel. Served as a vegetable side or, with mashed potatoes piped over the top in pie-dish style, as a substantial vegetarian main.

Kitchen Tips

• Wash leeks thoroughly after splitting. Grit hides between the layers and ruins the dish if you skip this step.
• Don’t overboil. Ten minutes is plenty for medium leeks. Soft to the point of falling apart is too far.
• Drain the leeks well and pat dry before saucing. Excess water dilutes the bechamel and makes the dish watery.
• Use a sharp aged cheddar or English cheese like Lancashire or Wensleydale. Mild cheese disappears under the cream sauce.
• Watch the broiler closely. The cheese goes from golden to burnt in under a minute.

Variations

• Top with mashed potatoes for a leek-and-potato gratin similar to a leek shepherd’s pie.
• Bake in a pastry shell for a leek tart.
• Add chopped cooked bacon or ham between the leeks and bechamel for a heartier dish.