Salsify and leek gratin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 600 g salsify
• 1 lemon(s), juice
• 450 ml milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 500 g leek(s)
• 30 g butter
• 1 dash of olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 30 g Parmesan
• 30 g breadcrumbs, preferably Panko
• 60 g butter
• 60 g flour
• 150 g Cheddar cheese, old
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, vegetarian
• 1 dashes Tabasco
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

Peel the salsify. It’s best to wear plastic gloves when doing this. Halve the salsify and immediately place it in a bowl of water with the lemon juice. Once all the salsify is peeled, simmer it in the milk with a bay leaf over low heat. This should take 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the salsify with a slotted spoon and reserve the milk for later. Remove the bay leaf. Trim the leek, trimming the root and green leaves. Heat the butter and olive oil in a pan and fry the leek stalks over low heat for 10 minutes. Finally, slice the garlic and add it. For the sauce, brown the flour in the melted butter. Add the reserved cooking milk, whisk, and simmer for a few minutes. Grate the Cheddar cheese and dissolve it in the hot milk. Season to taste with Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Place the leek at the bottom of an ovenproof dish and cover with two-thirds of the cheese milk. Place the salsify lengthwise on top and pour the sauce over it as well. Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes. Serve hot. Works as a vegetarian main course or as a side dish.