Fillet of veal in burnt leek powder. Haricot beans, lardons, a macédoine of carrot, celery and chorizo, spring greens and fresh garden peas

Look at that bark! Woof!!

It’s burnt leek powder. Yip, that’s right. Leeks killed with fire and turned into dust. A bit cheffy maybe but easy to make, visually stunning, and actually delicious. I say “actually” because there was a point when I had my doubts. I burned them, blitzed them, and tasted the ash. And guess what? It tasted acrid but with a hint of leek. Hm. The jury was out at this point.

I brushed a fillet of veal with chorizo fat, rolled it in the burnt leek powder, and briefly seared it in a hot pan with a little oil. What a transformation—smoky, oniony, surprisingly complex. Yum! The veal was served with creamy haricot beans loaded with lardons, a macédoine of carrot, celery and chorizo, spring greens and fresh garden peas.

It's definitely worth making this leek ash. Sprinkle on the plate as a garnish, use as a meat seasoning, fold through mayonnaise or crème fraîche.

Oh. And another thing. You don’t have to use whole leeks. Save the green tops so often thrown away and combat food waste.

Method

I used 4 leeks but I suggest going with 6 if you’re serving 4 people, just in case.

Slice the leeks lengthways keeping the root whole so the leaves stay together. Holding the root at the top and letting the leek hang down, rinse under cold water to remove any dirt. Let the leeks drain then pat dry.

Cut through the roots and unfurl the leaves.

Char the leeks in a hot frying pan. Maintain a single layer in the pan so do this in batches otherwise the leeks will steam.

Transfer the charred leaves onto a hot baking tray then into the oven at 150°C. It might take up to an hour to char uniformly and completely dry out. Keep an eye on them.

Remove the tray from the oven, let the leeks cool then blitz to a powder in a blender.

This leek ash can be kept forever in an airtight container.

Leek ash

Method