Les Poissonchats

I got a bucket of spring leeks on the farmer’s market the other day, fresh from the green grower around the corner, juicy and spicy, just the way they’re supposed to be. It’s just so wonderful so see all the fresh products coming in right now, strawberries and artichokes, asparagus and fresh garlic! Cooking strictly seasonal and local may have its flaws perhaps but nothing compares to the joy of getting the first in-season products, especially after the long late winter months of February and March. So here we are, almost through April, culinarily delighted and otherwise, as we started restoring the drawing room. We didn’t make any elaborate restoration plans as we prefer to be able to adjust to whatever we find during the process. I’ve been really happy to discover a very old beautiful wallpaper behind ten layers and we’ve been able to save some patches. This weekend we’ll be fixing the fireplace and plastering over the cracks in the wall. I can’t wait to move our furniture in, it will just feel so much more at home with my dear old wonky sofa!

So here’s a little peek and a recipe for a delicious warm spring leek salad.

What you’ll need

Quantities for a side for two persons

• 500g fresh spring leeks
• 0.5dl Olive oil
• Truffle salt
• Cracked black pepper
• A few drops of blackcurrant vinegar
• A handful of walnuts

How to cook it

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cut off the tips of the leeks and put them on a shallow baking tray, add the olive oil and season with truffle salt and cracked black pepper. Cook in the oven for about 45min, shake the tray every 15 minutes. When it’s done, sprinkle a few drops of blackcurrant vinegar over the leeks and top off with walnuts. Serve warm, not hot.

How to eat it

I cooked some pike dumplings with dried tomatoes and shallots to go along with, but you may serve it with any nice spring dish or as antipasti.