Hello my fellow cook! Welcome!

Walking alongside the river with the hounds (Aida & Megan) I am struck by how warm it is, I mean it's nearly 10°C (50°F), in FEBRUARY! Usually the temperature is between 0-5°C (32-50°F) and we have snow or at least some on the hills here in the Scottish borders. Yet what we have are birds singing and snowdrops and

0crocuses bursting out of the ground on the riverbank.

The end of last year was odd also, 15°C (60°F) in November, my allotment looked like it hadn’t been touched all year with an even coverage of grass that wasn't there in October, but more on my allotment later. Followed in December by -10°C for over a week. A day or two at this temperature is fine but the sustained period killed off almost everything I was growing apart from some admittedly small but proud leeks.

This leads me perfectly onto our first seasonal ingredient, the humble leek!

Leeks

Grown for thousands of years, leeks are an Allium which is a family of vegetables that also include onion, garlic and chives. Leeks are a fantastic vegetable as they can be overwintered in the ground until mid spring and pulled up when needed (as long as the ground isn’t frozen, then you’ve got a job on your hands!). Once pulled up, leeks are best washed and stored in the coolest part of your fridge and eaten within a few days so they are still super fresh with a lovely mild oniony flavour. Alternatively, leeks can be washed, chopped and blanched in boiling water for 10 seconds, then cooled and frozen to keep their flavour and nutritional value for extended periods.

Leeks are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Manganese, and Iron. Vitamin C helps maintain a healthy immune system and skin health, while Vitamin K is important for blood clotting. Folate is essential for cell growth and development and Manganese is great for bone health and wound healing. Iron is important in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body.

To grow leeks, I sow seeds in a tray with little to no spacing and keep the tray indoors (as germination generally occurs at higher soil temperatures) covered by a piece of newspaper or cardboard to stop the soil from drying out. Check the seed tray daily, as once germinated the seedlings will make a break for daylight and if left unchecked will become leggy and struggle to survive. When the seedlings are big enough to handle I transfer them to their final growing position, in late winter or mid spring. Leeks need a sunny, sheltered site with well-drained, well prepared soil with plenty of added manure or fertiliser. Space the plants 2.5cm (1in) apart and water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist.

Recipes

Going forward I plan on including one or two recipes each week, but since it’s my first newsletter and I really couldn’t decide between my favourite recipes I have included three (you lucky cooks!).

Sautéed leeks with bacon and pearl barley

One of my favourite winter recipes that can be eaten on its own or as a fantastic accompaniment to roast game birds or chicken. I always find myself tucking into this after service with a little bit of leftover gravy, lovely! Of course, the bacon can be substituted for mushrooms to make a hearty vegetarian dish bursting with flavour.

Makes: 4 servings

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 25g unsmoked bacon, roughly chopped

• 2tbsp oil

• 1 leek, halved lengthways and sliced

• Knob of butter

• 100g pearl barley

• salt

Instructions:

Place the pearl barley in a bowl and run under cold water until the water becomes clear, give the pearl barley a mix once or twice to get rid of any excess starch. Washing beforehand will give you a much lighter and less sticky end result.

Once washed add to a pan of simmering water and cook for 25 minutes then add a teaspoon of salt and cook for a further 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. The cooking of the pearl barley can be done well in advance and can be cooled and kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a couple of days.

Place a cold frying pan on a medium heat and add the bacon, this allows the fat to slowly render helping the bacon crisp and providing the fat needed for cooking the leek.

Once the bacon is crisp, add the oil and your leek to the pan with a small pinch of salt and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently for about 10 minutes until the leek is soft then add a knob of butter and the cooked pearl barley, heat thoroughly and serve.

If using mushrooms instead of bacon add a knob of butter to a medium hot pan, once the butter has melted add the mushrooms, leeks and a pinch of salt at the same time and cook until the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated and the mushrooms have started to caramelise, about 15 minutes.

Cock-a-leekie

Cock-a-leekie is a Scottish soup dating back to the 16th century and is probably derived from French chicken and onion soup. Traditionally, Cock-a-leekie was made with birds that had little flesh resulting in a light and delicate stock which was very difficult to make flavourful. It was not the appetizing meal we know and love today! These days Cock-a-leekie is a fantastic way to use any leftover chicken after a roast and in my opinion should be stuffed full of fresh leeks! Variations of this recipe include using oatmeal or pearl barley instead of rice to thicken and adding a garnish of prunes before serving.

Makes: 6-8 servings

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp oil

• 2 onions, finely sliced

• 4-5 leeks, finely sliced

• 2 ltr chicken stock

• Sprigs of parsley and thyme tied together with 2 bay leaves and 3 green leek leaves

• 60g brown rice (unwashed)

• 300g cooked chicken, roughly chopped

• Chopped parsley

• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil in a pot over a medium heat and add the onions, cook for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add your leek and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the stock, unwashed rice (the rice is left unwashed in this recipe as the excess starch from the rice will help thicken the soup) and the tied green leek leaves bundle.

Season and simmer till the rice is cooked, about 30 minutes. Then add your chicken and chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread or my favourite with Cock-a-leekie, oatcakes.

Vichyssoise

Last but definitely not least, Vichyssoise. Created in the early 20th century by a French cook Louis Diat heading up the Ritz-Carlton in New York. Vichyssoise is a soup made of cooked and pureed leeks, potatoes, onions and cream. It is served chilled and garnished with chopped chives. The name “Vichyssoise” has become so well known that it is used as a generic term for a luxurious pureed soup but although there are some modern variations a true Vichyssoise is made simply from leeks, potatoes, onions, milk and cream. Its simplicity and decadence are the reasons I couldn’t leave this recipe out. Enjoy!

Makes:

Time: 1 hour plus chilling time

Ingredients

• 60g unsalted butter

• 4 leeks, finely sliced

• 250g potatoes, peeled and diced

• 300g single cream

• 300g whole milk

• 100g double cream

• Chives, finely chopped

• Salt

Instructions

Add the butter, leeks and a pinch of salt to a pot over a medium heat and cook gently until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add in the potatoes and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes stirring frequently to make sure the mixture does not colour.

Add the single cream and the whole milk and cook on a bare simmer for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and fluffy. Blend the soup till smooth then stir in the double cream a little at a time until the Vichyssoise loosely coats the back of a wooden spoon, you may not need all the double cream. Season and leave to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to cool completely

Garnish with chopped chives and serve.

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Happy cooking!

Chef Stu