Do you want to surprise your dinner guests with something new and astonishing? Let’s try a recipe based on the simple leek, but full of flavor from across the flavor spectrum: from green notes to vanilla buttery aroma derived from fried roots. At the same time, you won’t have any waste, as the whole vegetable will be used, beetroot (root and leaves) as well.
Burning leeks provides a caramelized smoky flavor, which pairs well with sweet nutty roasted beer glazing. Grilling boosts the flavor and richness of the dish. The crust, which is created during grilling, protects the delicate interior of the leek, leaving a soft and creamy aftertaste. The crunchy beetroot salsa adds some piquancy with roasted harsh earthy notes. It brings a pleasant crispiness, while mustard seeds offer acids and a pungent flavor. The frosting on the cake is fried leek roots, adding roasted notes and providing extra crunchiness to the dish. 
Beetroot leaves salsa
ingredients
- 1 part sugar
- 2 parts rice vinegar
- 3 parts water
- 1 tbsp of mustard seeds
- ½ tbsp of celery seeds
preparation
Chop the leaves. Mix and quickly boil all the ingredients for the sauce, then pour over the chopped greens.
Beer glazing
ingredients
- 1 bottle ‘Dark Sister’ (dark IPA with roasted and malty flavour)
- 1 cup white miso ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup ‘Sirop de Liege’ (jelly like spread made of evaporated apple and pear juice)
- 1 g xanthan
preparation
Mix all the ingredients, heat on medium-low, and reduce until it becomes syrup. Add xanthan and mix well.
Beetroot gel
ingredients
- 8 beets
- 60 g red miso
- 50 g apple surette
- 6 g xanthan
preparation
Bake the whole beets in the oven at 200°C for about 45-60 minutes until smooth inside. Peel them, put in the Thermomix with red miso, apple surette, and xanthan. Heat the mixture to 80°C.
Leeks
ingredients
- leek
preparation
Cut the green part of the leek and the bottom with the root, and keep them separate. Oil the leek and put it on the barbeque until it turns almost completely black. You can check if it is ready by putting a knife into it. If it resists, keep cooking. If you can easily cut the leek, but it’s still quite firm, take it off the grill and put in a closed container to soften the vegetables. Then peel them, cut in two, burn it with a blow torch, and glaze with beer glazing.
Wash the roots carefully. Soak and fry them in oil until you reach a golden brown colour.
Take the green parts of the leeks, add enough oil to cover the vegetables, and mix them in the Thermomix at 100°C. Then cool the coulis immediately putting the container into a bowl with ice to keep the green colour.
Plate the dish
Make a smudge of leak coulis. Lay down one glazed leak. Besides it, put a scoop of beetroot gel. Add a bunch of fried leak roots. Top with beetroot salsa and garnish with fresh herbs.
