Page title and description

Salads
Grilled leek and blue cheese salad with apples, celery and hazelnuts
Ingredients
- 3 small leeks
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 40g hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 apples
- 100g salad leaves
- 100g blue cheese, crumbled

Method
Prep time:
15 min
PT15M
Cooking time:
10 min
PT10M
-
Step 1
Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Trim the flared leaf tops away from the leeks so you are just left with straight lengths. -
Step 2
Poach the leeks in the boiling water for about 8 minutes, until they are easily pierced with a knife tip. Remove them from the pan and allow to cool. -
Step 3
Put a griddle pan on a high heat. Peel away the top layer or two from the leeks; they will have become overcooked and water-logged. Spilt the leeks in half lengthways, and slice into 3cm pieces. -
Step 4
When the griddle is very hot, cook the leeks for 20-30 seconds a side; enough to mark them, but not so much that they start to burn. Remove and season with salt. -
Step 5
Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the mustard and vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil a small bit at a time, until you have a thick, emulsified dressing. Season with salt and pepper. -
Step 6
Break the hazelnuts into coarse pieces. Dress with a tiny bit of oil and a pinch of salt. The oil helps the seasoning to stick. -
Step 7
Thinly slice the celery at a sharp angle. Core the apples and slice them into thin discs. -
Step 8
Throw the salad leaves, leeks, apple and celery together with the dressing. Pile artfully onto a serving dish and scatter over the hazelnuts and blue cheese.