Tipsy Leeks on Toast

Cooking time
Serves2 people
Tipsy Leeks on Toast

If you've got a glut of leeks in your veg box and don't know what to do them, try turning them into this tastily tipsy meal. You'll braise the leeks in a crisp, dry cider until meltingly soft and sweet, then serve them on top of sourdough toast with crisp slices of pancetta and sopftly poached eggs.

Ingredients

  • 450g leeks
  • A few thyme sprigs
  • 6 slices of pancetta
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 500ml dry cider
  • 2-4 slices of sourdough bread
  • 2-4 eggs
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 30 mins

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Method

1. Trim the roots and any woody greens off the leeks, then slice them in half and rinse out any grit. Finely slice them. Pick the thyme leaves off a couple of thyme sprigs.
2. Place a deep frying pan on a medium heat. Add the pancetta slices to the hot pan and fry for 2-3 mins, turning once, until crisp. Lift out of the pan and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
3. Drizzle a little olive oil into the pan, if there's not quite enough pancetta fat, then add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper and fry, stirring often, for 5-6 mins until the leeks have started to soften and picked up a little colour. If they start to catch, turn the heat down and add a few tbsp water.
4. Add the thyme leaves and bay leaf to the leeks. Pour in the cider. Bring up to a bubble, then turn down the heat and gently simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, till the leeks have softened and the cider has mostly evaporated.
5. While the leeks simmer, put a medium-sized pan of water onto boil. Toast the sourdough bread and place it on 2 serving plates. Depending on how big your slices of bread are, and how hungry you are, you may want to toast 2 or 4 slices.
6. When the water in the pan is boiling, turn the heat down so just a few bubbles are breaking the surface. Crack the eggs into cups (like the bread, you can use 2 or 4 eggs to top your toast). Swirl a spoon in the pan to create a whirlpool and carefully slide them into the simmering water. Very gently poach them, keeping the water just at a simmer, for 2-4 mins till the whites are set and the yolks are still runny (you can lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon and gently prod it to check how well done it is). If you prefer your yolks firmly set, cook for a few mins more. Lift the poached eggs out of the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
7. Lift the bay leaf out of the leeks. Add the mustard and stir well to mix. Taste the leeks and add a pinch more salt and pepper, if you think they need it. Spoon them over the sourdough toast. Top each slice with the crisp pancetta and a poached egg and serve straight away.
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