Sweet and Sour Marinated Leeks

Leeks are in season from now until April and this is a very simple dish which really brings out their flavour. It can be eaten at once warm as a side dish or as a starter with hunks of sourdough bread, or leave overnight for the flavours to enhance.

Sweet and Sour Marinated Leeks

Dietary: Vegan, Gluten Free

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 medium leeks, cut into 4cm thick rounds
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 red romano pepper, sliced in rings
• 12 button mushrooms, sliced in half
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 50g dried apricots, quartered
• 25g sultanas
• 50g green & black olives
• fresh thyme leaves
• black pepper
• lemon zest and juice from ½ a lemon

Method:

• Soak the apricots and sultanas in the vinegar for at least 15 minutes.
• Very gently fry the leeks in the olive oil, keep on turning them over so that they don’t brown, turn the heat down to very low, put on a lid so that the leeks braise in the steam, until they are tender, but with a bite to them.
• Take out the leeks and place in a mixing bowl and fry the red pepper and mushrooms in the same oil.
• Add the cooked pepper and mushrooms to the leeks along with the apricots and sultanas in vinegar. Stir well and add the olives, fresh thyme leaves, black pepper and lemon juice and zest.

Photos by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures

For more tips and recipes for leeks, do have a look at my post Rethinking Leeks where you'll find ideas to make the most of a vegetable which is in season from now right through until April!

Do you have any ideas for using this wonderful mainstay of so many recipes? Leave a comment below or come and talk to us on social media! Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and, if you like this post, please share it!

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