Rob’s Recipe of the Week: Victorian Salsify with Leeks | Canalside Community Food

Salsify… I had no idea, but after a bit of googling and an interesting independent article / waitrose advert ( https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/salsify-root-vegetable-taste-recipe-what-is-it-waitrose-albert-bartlett-a8631251.html ) I’ve picked out a gratin recipe after realising that I’ve yet to make one this winter despite it being a weekly staple last year (that would be because I worked out how to make good oven chips instead!). I think this could be turned into a full meal rather than a side dish if you add sliced boiled potatoes and increase the quantities for the sauce and breadcrumbs.

Leek and Salsify Gratin

Ingredients
SALSIFY
400g of salsify root
Lemon juice & water in a bowl
300ml of milk
1 bay leaf
LEEKS
330g of leek, washed and sliced into 1cm rings
20g of butter
olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
SAUCE
40g of butter
40g of flour
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, (optional – omit to make vegetarian)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Tabasco, to taste
100g of mature cheddar, grated
salt
freshly ground black pepper
CRUMB TOPPING
20g of Parmesan, (swap for vegetarian hard cheese if preferred)
20g of Panko breadcrumbs
freshly ground black pepper

Method
Wash the salsify, scrubbing off any soil, then peel and trim the ends of each baton. Immediately place the peeled salsify into the bowl of lemon water to stop it from going brown

Bring the milk to the boil in a pan with a bay leaf and add the salsify batons. Simmer for 6–8 minutes until cooked al dente, then drain and set aside (reserve the milk for later)

Heat a splash of olive oil in a pan with the butter and sauté the leeks and sliced garlic until soft but not coloured

In a separate pan, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter then stir in the flour. Cook until golden and slightly foaming, then slowly whisk in the warm milk reserved from poaching the salsify, continuously whisking to prevent lumps

Stir in the grated cheddar. Once melted and smooth, season with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce (if using), Tabasco, salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

Trim the salsify to the size of the ovenproof dish you’ll be using. Roughly slice any trimmings and add to the pan with the leeks

Pour ¾ of the sauce into the leeks and stir to combine, then transfer to an ovenproof dish

Place the trimmed salsify into the remaining sauce and stir to coat. Neatly arrange the salsify on top of the leeks

Mix together the ingredients for the crumb and sprinkle evenly over the salsify. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and serve

Taken from: https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/leek-and-salsify-gratin-recipe