Leeks usually end up in a soup or supporting other ingredients in a pie or something, but they are the star of the show in this veggie main course dish by Gill Meller. Here they are cooked in olive oil with orzo pasta, lemon, rosemary, parsley and cheese and it is most certainly a “leek dish”. By all means serve as a side dish too if you like.
Wine Suggestion: We chose a wine to lift the winter mood; with friendly fruit, a nutty and stony twist and hints of sunshine – the La Sonrisa de Tares. A Godello from Bierzo which brought a smile to our faces.
Leeks with Orzo, Lemon & Herbs – serves 4
- 200ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 3 leeks, sliced into 1cm rounds
- 250g orzo pasta
- 100g pecorino (we used Parmesan), finely grated, plus extra to serve
- a handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 450ml vegetable stock
- 125g mozzarella cheese
Heat the oven to 190C/170 fan/375 F/Gas 5.
Put a large, wide, heavy-based casserole over a low heat. Add the olive oil and when it has warmed, add the garlic and rosemary. Allow the garlic to sizzle for a minute or so, then add the leeks, orzo, half of the grated pecorino, the chopped parsley and the lemon zest. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir gently but try not to break the leeks up too much.
Pour over the vegetable stock, then stir again and use a wooden spoon to push the leeks down into the stock. Tear over the mozzarella cheese and scatter over the remaining pecorino. Season the top with some flaky salt and extra black pepper, then bake for 35-45 minutes or until the stock has been absorbed and the top is golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with a bit more pecorino if you like.
(Original recipe from Root Stem Leaf Flower by Gill Meller, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2020.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
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