Roast Quail Tangled Leek Potato Vinaigrette Recipes

ROASTED LEEKS AND POTATOES VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the leeks and potatoes in a baking dish large enough for them to fit in a single layer. Toss with the white wine, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover the baking dish tightly, and place in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to 450 degrees, and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until the leeks and potatoes are tender but not mushy and just beginning to color. Remove from the heat, and add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and additional salt and pepper if desired. Toss together and allow to cool.
• Put the hard-boiled eggs through a sieve, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange over the leeks and potatoes (I like to arrange the sieved egg in a wide stripe down the middle), sprinkle with parsley and serve.

CLASSIC LEEKS VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Trim leeks, removing tough outer layers and cutting off root ends. Leave a little green at the top. Make a lengthwise slit part way down each leek. Put leeks in a large basin of warm tap water and swish vigorously to dislodge any sand or dirt. Remove carefully, leaving grit in basin.
• Fill a medium sauce pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and put in leeks. Cook at a brisk simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until leeks are quite tender when pierced with a paring knife. Drain and cool to room temperature.
• Make vinaigrette: put mustard and vinegar in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Whisk in olive oil to make a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Blot leeks and divide among 4 plates. Spoon vinaigrette over leeks, smearing with back of spoon. Sprinkle with capers. Garnish each plate with cornichons, olives and half an egg.

ROAST QUAIL, TANGLED LEEK & POTATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put a thyme sprig in the cavity of each quail. Rub each bird with a little oil and honey, and season generously. Put the quail in a shallow roasting tin and roast for 20 mins until golden, then leave to rest in a warm place.
• While the quail are roasting, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the eggs for 2 mins exactly, then scoop out into a bowl of cold water. Peel and set aside. Put the leeks in the boiling water and cook for 10 mins until soft. Scoop them out, put in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil while still hot. Boil the potatoes in the same pan for 8-10 mins until just cooked, then drain and add to the leeks.
• To make the dressing, whisk the mustard and vinegar together, then gradually add the oil to make a thick dressing and season. Halve the eggs and carve the quail (see step-by-step images).
• To serve, arrange a tangled nest of leeks, potatoes and quail breasts in the centre of each plate. Tuck in the eggs and top with the quail legs. Drizzle the dressing over and dot around the outside of the plate.

LEEKS VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil and season liberally with salt.
• Trim the leeks at the root ends, keeping the leeks intact. Cut the leeks where the light green meets the darker green. Save the darker green section for stock. Split the leeks in half lengthwise, again leaving the roots intact. Put the leeks in a large bowl of water and let it sit for a minute. Rinse the dirt from the insides of the leeks by lightly separating the layers and allowing the water to wash the dirt out. Tie the leeks in 3 places with butcher's twine to hold shut.
• Add the leeks to the pot of water and let it come back to a simmer. Boil the leeks until they are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer them to paper towels and remove the twine. Separate each leek into 2 halves.
• In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, mustards, garlic, shallots and salt and pepper. Spread some of the vinaigrette on the bottom of an 8-inch square dish.
• While the leeks are still warm, remove the outer layer of each; lay the leeks cut-side down in the vinaigrette in the dish. Spoon the remaining vinaigrette over the leeks. Cover and chill the leeks in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• Arrange the leeks on a platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Garnish with the hazelnuts, eggs and chives. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the leeks and serve.

LEEKS IN VINAIGRETTE WITH WALNUTS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with oil; season with salt.
• Trim root ends of leeks and 1" from the dark green tops. Cut leeks into 1/2"-thick rounds (the dark green parts won't be rounds, but that's okay). Rinse well.
• Cook leeks in a large pot of boiling salted water until meltingly tender, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.
• Whisk garlic, vinegar, and Dijon and whole grain mustards in a small bowl; season vinaigrette with salt.
• Arrange leeks on a platter; drizzle with vinaigrette and let sit at least 10 minutes (the longer, the better).
• Just before serving, scatter walnut mixture over leeks and top with tarragon and lots of pepper.
• Do Ahead
• Leeks (without walnut mixture and tarragon) can be marinated 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.