Leek, Hazelnut and Cheese Crumble

An easy-to-prepare savoury side-dish with hazelnut and cheese topping, adapted from a recipe from The Vegetarian Society and found on the UKTVFOOD. I suggest using my Vegetable Stock 135453 in this dish. The stock recipe enables you to make productive use of all your otherwise wasted vegetable peelings and make a really flavoursome stock at the same time. The original Leek and Cheese Crumble recipe mentions peeling the hazelnuts. There are full instructions on how to do this in the Zaar Kitchen Dictionary, which I've included an excerpt from in the NOTES below. For a non-vegetarian version, add chopped bacon.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 500  g leeks, thoroughly washed and trimmed
• 1  onion, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, chopped
• 1  cup green peas, frozen peas are fine
• 400  ml  vegetable stock
• 1⁄4 cup white wine
• 100  ml  single cream, low-fat is fine
• 1  tablespoon coarse grain mustard
• 150  g  white breadcrumbs
• 40  g hazelnuts, skinned
• 2  tablespoons parsley, roughly chopped
• 1  teaspoon thyme
• 150  g cheddar cheese, finely grated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F/gas 6.
2. Slice the leeks into thick circles (no larger than 2cm) and place them in a large pan with the onion, garlic, peas, vegetable stock, white wine, cream and mustard. Cook gently for 15 minutes or until the leeks begin to soften.
3. Transfer the leeks mixture to an ovenproof baking dish, reserving 1/2 cup of stock.
4. Place the breadcrumbs, nuts, parsley and thyme in a food processor and process until they are finely chopped and well-combined.
5. Scatter the crumble and cheese over the leeks and drizzle the remaining stock mixture over the top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the topping is starting to turn crisp and golden. If necessary finish the dish under the grill.
6. NOTES: (from the Zaar Kitchen Dictionary) To toast: slow roast in 275°F (about 135°C) oven. Spread shelled nuts in a shallow baking pan and roast for 20-30 minutes, until the skin cracks and the meat turns light golden. To remove the skins, pour hot nuts in the center of a rough kitchen terry towel. Pull the towel up around the nuts and twist tightly. Let stand to steam for about five minutes then rub the warm nuts in the towel until most of the skins are removed.