Grilled leeks with Stracciatella cheese, Speck and Hazelnuts

Perfect as a side dish or starter. Best when the leeks are still warm.
Ingredients
poireaux
- 4 large leeks
- 200g Stracciatella cheese
- 50 g Speck ham or bacon, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Pepperoncino pepper (red pepper flakes), adjust to taste
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
chive sauce
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) mayonnaise
- The juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped chives
- Ground salt and pepper
Preparation
leeks
- Preheat your oven to 200°C and cut the root ends off the leeks, and remove the dark green parts.
- Cut leeks in half lengthways and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt.
- Dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Brush the leeks with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the leeks on a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for around 15 to 20 minutes, or until they become tender and grill marked, turning halfway through cooking.
- You can also grill them on a barbecue or in a grill pan on the cooker if you prefer.
- While the leeks are grilling, take the Stracciatella cheese out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. This will make it easier to spread over the leeks.
- In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Once toasted, roughly chop the hazelnuts.
- In the same pan, grill the speck or bacon until browned.
montage
- Remove the grilled leeks from the oven or grill and place them on a serving dish.
- While the leeks are still hot, spread the Stracciatella on top. The heat from the leeks will melt the cheese slightly, creating a creamy texture.
- Sprinkle the toasted hazelnuts over the Stracciatella.
- Season to taste with red pepper flakes
- Drizzle with olive oil and serve.