Name: Blue cheese leeks with crispy bacon breadcrumbs
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 6 large leeks, washed and cut diagonally into 6cm pieces; 50g blue cheese, crumbled; 500ml double cream; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 75g diced pancetta; a few sprigs rosemary, finely chopped; a pinch dried chilli flakes; 50g breadcrumbs; olive oil

Leeks, blue cheese and bacon breadcrumbs in a large baking dish

6 large leeks
washed and cut diagonally into 6cm pieces
50g blue cheese
crumbled
500ml double cream
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Crispy topping

75g diced pancetta
a few sprigs rosemary
finely chopped
a pinch dried chilli flakes
50g breadcrumbs
olive oil

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
step 2
Put the leeks into a 15 x 20cm baking dish, packing them in tightly as they will shrink when cooked.
step 3
Mix the crumbled blue cheese, double cream and mustard in a bowl with a little salt and lots of black pepper.
step 4
Pour over the leeks, cover with a double layer of foil and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes until the leeks are very soft.
step 5
Put the pancetta into a cold frying pan then fry over a medium heat for 10 minutes until really crisp.
step 6
Add the rosemary and chilli flakes, and cook for 1 minute.
step 7
Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl, tip in the pancetta, including all of its fat, and mix well.
step 8
Remove the foil from the leeks and cover evenly with the breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
step 9
Return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden.