Prep
20 min
20 min
Cook
55 min
55 min
Total
1 hr 15 min
1 hr 15 min
Yield
4 servings
4 servings
Category
Dinner
Dinner
Cuisine
British
British
This cheesy leek and potato bake combines two everyday ingredients with a creamy Cheddar sauce for an easy, warming meal. The potatoes become tender in the oven while the leeks soften into the sauce and the cheese forms a golden top.
It works well as a meat-free main course with green vegetables or salad, but it is equally useful as a substantial side dish with sausages, roast chicken or baked ham.
The simple ingredients also make it a practical self-catering meal for a winter or ski holiday. Assemble it in one baking dish, put it in the oven and serve when the top is bubbling and the potatoes are completely tender.
Ingredients
- 1kg potatoes peeled and cut into slices about 4mm thick
- 2 large leeks trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
- 25g butter plus a little extra for the dish
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 200ml double cream
- 200ml whole milk
- 180g mature Cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Fine salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped chives or parsley, to serve (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan, Gas 6. Lightly butter a large ovenproof baking dish.
- Put the sliced potatoes in a large saucepan of salted boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes, then drain carefully and leave to steam dry.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until softened but not browned.
- Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the cream and milk, stir in the mustard and season with black pepper and a little salt.
- Bring the sauce just to a gentle simmer, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Arrange half the potatoes in the baking dish. Spoon over half the leek mixture and scatter with one third of the Cheddar. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and leeks.
- Pour over any sauce left in the pan and scatter the remaining Cheddar evenly over the top.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden and bubbling.
- Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Scatter with chopped chives or parsley, if using.