SUSY ATKINS’
WINE PICKS
The punchy leeks
callforabright,
fruity white such
as a Loire Valley
chenin blanc.
Astrawberryish
beaujolais or dry
cider are star
matches for the
rillettes, and
crisp whites such
as bordeaux
sauvignon blanc
or muscadet are
always a hit with
mouclade. For
the crepes,
astrong,sweet
beaumes de
venise is the
winning sip.deliciousmagazine.co.uk 67book of the month.
Kir Breton
SERVES 1Kirisusuallymadewithcrèmede
cassis and, traditionally, bourgogne
aligoté(azestywhitewinefrom
Burgundy), but kir Breton – and also
kirNormand–ismadewithcider.
Just putasplashofcrèmedecassis
inthebottomofachampagneglass,
thentopuptheglasswithdry cider...
preferably one from Brittany or
Normandy, obviously.
PER SERVING71kcals, no fat, no
protein, 4.9g carbs (4.9g sugars),
tracesalt,nofibreLeekswithBreton
vinaigrette
SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 15 MIN,
COOKING TIME 7-10 MIN, PLUS INFUSINGLeeks vinaigrette was one
ofthedishesthatmademefall
inlovewithFrenchfood;Iateit
on my first trip to France when
Iwentthereonanexchange
trip.Mostpeoplemakeleeks
vinaigrette without a recipe,
but the dressing here, which
Itriedwhileonholidayin
Brittany,goesbeyondthe
standard and is worth knowing.
Iusuallyservethiswithother
bitsandpiecesthatmakeup
the typical French spread that
they describe (rather modestly)
as crudités: radishes, hard-
boiled eggs, charcuterie,
sometimes other vegetable
dishes such as carottes rapèes
(gratedcarrotsalad)andlentilles
en salade (lentil salad).MAKE
AHEADMake the salad dressing
up to 1 week ahead and
keep in a sealed container
inthe fridge.
FOOD
TEAM’S
TIPSIf you don’t have a steamer
puttheleeksinametal
colandersetoverapanof
boiling water and cover with a pan
lid.Putoveramediumheatand
steamtheleeks–thetimewillvary
dependingontheirsize.Largeleeks
maytakeanextra2-3minutes to
become completely tender.- 1 scant tbsp white wine vinegar, or
to taste
•¼tspdijonmustard,ortotaste - Pinchgroundmixedspice
- 8tbspextra-virginolive oil
- Pinchcastersugar
•1½tbspcapers, rinsed and
patteddry - ½ tbsp very finely chopped
shallots
•1tbspfinelychoppedfresh
flatleafparsley leaves - ½ tbsp each finely chopped fresh
chervilleaves and chives - 6 medium leeks
1 Make the vinaigrette by mixing the
white wine vinegar, dijon mustard
andmixedspicewithsomeseasalt
flakes and ground black pepper in
asmallbowl.
2 Whiskintheextra-virginoliveoil
usingafork.Addthesugar,capers,
shallotsandherbs,thentastefor
seasoningandbalance(youmight
needalittlemorevinegaror
mustard).It’sgoodtomakethis
about30minutesinadvance so
theflavours can meld.
3 Remove and discard the tough
outerleavesfromtheleeks.Slice
offanddiscardthetuftybitonthe
base of each leek and also the dark
greentops.Cuttheleeksinto4cm
pieces.Washthemreallywell,
makingsurethatyougetridofany
gritor soil between the layers.
Steamoverboilingwater–thisway
the leeks don’t become too wet – for
4-6 minutes (see tips). They should
be completely tender right through
(testwiththetipofasharpknife).
4 As soon as the leeks are done,
tipthemontoacleandishclothand
gentlypattosoakuptheexcess
moisture; the vinaigrette will cling
to the leeks much better if they’re
notwet.Immediatelyputthemin
aservingbowland,whilethey’re
stillhot,dressthemwiththe
vinaigrette. Taste to check the
seasoning, then serve warm or
atroom temperature.
PER SERVING260kcals, 23.1g fat
(3.4g saturated), 3.5g protein,
6.3g carbs (4.7g sugars), 0.3g salt,
6.2g fibrePork rillettes
MAKES 1KG. HANDS-ON TIME 15 MIN,
COOKING TIME 4 HOURSHomemade rillettes usually
tastebetterthanready-made
(at le a s t t hey do w hen you’r e not
in France). They do take time
(thoughnotalotofefort)and
this should be an easy meal, so
buytherillettesifyouprefer.
To render pork fat, cut the fat
intocubes,meltitinaheavy-
basedsaucepanoveralowheat,
then strain the resulting liquid
fat through a sieve.MAKE
AHEADWhen well sealed with a
layer of fat in sterilised jars,
youcankeepthisinthe
PORTRAIT: CHRIS TERRY fridge for up to 4 months. Make →