Leeks Stuffed with Ham, Cheese, & Mushrooms

The ideal leeks for this will be long, thick, and firm, but that large girth is the most important quality. Yes, I am talking seriously about leeks; shut up.

My leeks were weedy little specimens and so I actually used 12 of them. We have an enormous quantity of leeks in the garden this year, but the quality is lacking as most of them got planted under the delusion that they were going to be onions; that is too shallow and close together. Consequently we have smallish leeks galore and a shortage of onions. You can expect to see a lot of leek recipes this fall and winter.

This is said to be a dish from Gibraltar. I can only find this recipe by Mama Lottie as a reference now, but I am sure I saw at least one another version which had ham and mushrooms, but can I find it now? No. Anyway, as usual I made it my way, and we liked it very much. These are all classic things to have together and for good reason.

I call for you to add NO salt; between the ham and the cheese you are very unlikely to need any. I used chick pea flour to hold the filling together, but you could use a little leftover mashed potato instead. The two of us ate all of this very easily, but it would make a good appetizer course for a formal meal and as such serve 4. For some reason, even tender, well-cooked leeks require s really sharp knife to cut them - supply your diners with steak knives. They will not be excessive, even though the leeks are quite soft and easy to eat.

2 to 4 servings
1 hour 45 minutes - 45 minutes prep time

4 large leeks
125 grams (1/4 pound) button mushrooms
225 grams (1/2 pound) cooked ham
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon bacon fat OR vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chick pea flour OR 1/3 cup mashed potato
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 tablespoon sherry OR balsamic vinegar
1 cup grated old Cheddar
1 teaspoon bacon fat OR vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated old Cheddar

Trim and wash the leeks. When you have the solid shank part of each one trimmed, cut it from top to bottom half-way through. This will allow you to pull out the centre of the leek, leaving 5 or 6 layers. Set the outer layers aside and chop the inner leaves very finely.

Clean, trim, and chop the mushrooms finely. Mix them with the finely chopped leek innards. Chop the ham very finely, and mix it in as well. Peel and mince the garlic but keep it aside.

Put a pot of water on to boil; we are going to blanch the outer leaves of the leeks.

Heat the bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the finely chopped vegetables and ham, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced in volume. Add the garlic and cook it in for a minute or two. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, when the water boils, add the leek shells and boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove them carefully to a strainer and rinse in cold water until they can be handled. Drain well.

When the ham and vegetables are cool enough, add the chick pea flour, seasonings, and first cup of grated cheese. Use the remaining bacon fat to grease a shallow baking pan into which the leeks should fit, snugly but in a single layer.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Unroll (open and flatten out) the leek shells. You can spread the leaves a little if you like and they will do it. Form sufficient of the filling into a tube, and wrap the leek around it back into the shape of a whole leek. If they are sturdy enough, they can be cut into 1 1/2" pieces and put in the pan on end. Place it in the prepared pan and continue until all the filling is in all the leeks. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over them. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until hot and bubbling. Let rest 10 minutes then serve.




Last year at this time I made Smoked Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce. 

Posted in: Ontario Food