Leek, potato & three cheese gratin

Name: Leek, potato & three cheese gratin
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 500 g Essential Leeks; 3 large Essential Potatoes, peeled and cut into 0.5cm slices; 40 g Essential Butter, plus extra for greasing; 2 tbsp Essential Plain Flour; 400 ml Essential Whole Milk; 60 g blue cheese, roughly chopped (I used Gorgonzola, but Stilton, Roquefort or Dolcelatte all work); 60 g Gruyère, grated (Comté, Emmental or Gouda also work)

Elly Curshen's gratin using leftovers makes the most of the affinity the leek has with potatoes and cheese.

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Serves8
CourseSide
Prepare20 mins
Cook1 hr 10 mins
Total time1 hr 30 mins

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Ingredients

500g Essential Leeks
3 large Essential Potatoes, peeled and cut into 0.5cm slices
40g Essential Butter, plus extra for greasing
2 tbsp Essential Plain Flour
400ml Essential Whole Milk
60g blue cheese, roughly chopped (I used Gorgonzola, but Stilton, Roquefort or Dolcelatte all work)
60g Gruyère, grated (Comté, Emmental or Gouda also work)

For the topping

30g Essential Butter, melted
40g breadcrumbs (made from dry stale bread, blitzed in a food processor)
20g walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
20g hazelnuts or almonds, roughly chopped
50g Essential Mature Cheddar, grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4 and lightly butter an ovenproof serving dish about 22x30cm. Trim the leeks and cut them into 1cm rounds. Wash well and drain.
Place the sliced potato into a large saucepan and cover with water, plus an extra 10cm or so. Bring to the boil, then add the leeks and return to the boil. Cover with a lid, simmer for 5 minutes, then drain.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour until smooth. Season. Add the milk gradually, whisking continuously. Cook for 1 minute, then add the blue cheese and grated hard cheese. Change to a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook over a low heat until the cheese is melted, stirring continuously.
Tip the drained potatoes and leeks into the buttered dish. Pour the sauce over the top. Mix the melted butter for the topping with the breadcrumbs and chopped nuts, then sprinkle over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the grated Cheddar over the top and bake for another 20 minutes, until piping hot, golden and bubbling.