Roasted leeks with farro, zhoug and toasted cashew cream

by Chantelle Nicholson
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4
60 minutes

Ingredients

Toasted cashew ‘butter’

  • 120g of cashew nuts
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Roasted leeks

  • 4 leeks, large, thoroughly cleaned
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt

Zhoug

  • 1 bunch of coriander, leaves picked
  • 1/2 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
  • 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely crushed
  • 1 cardamom pod, finely crushed
  • 2 cloves, finely crushed
  • 1/2 tsp agave syrup
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely microplaned
  • 50ml of olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1/2 tsp table salt

Farro

  • 125g of farro, (emmer wheat)

Method

1
Preheat an oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Place the cashew nuts on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes, or until very well toasted and golden all over
  • 120g of cashew nuts
2
Place 100g of the toasted cashews in a bowl, cover with cold water and allow to soak for at least 4 hours. Strain off the water then place the cashews in a blender. Add half of the soaking water and the salt and blend until silky smooth, adding more of the soaking water if necessary. Scrape out of the blender and cover. Roughly chop the remaining 20g of cashews and set aside
  • 1/2 tsp salt
3
Preheat the oven to 200℃/gas mark 6. Rub the oil and salt onto the leeks and place in the oven on a roasting tray. Bake for 20 minutes until well roasted, then turn the oven off and leave to sit for a further 10 minutes
  • 4 leeks, (large) thorough cleaned
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt
4
For the zhoug, place all ingredients into a blender with 2 tablespoons of water. Blitz until a chunky paste is formed and set aside
  • 1 bunch of coriander, leaves picked
  • 1/2 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
  • 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely diced
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and finely crushed
  • 1 cardamom pod, finely crushed
  • 2 cloves, finely crushed
  • 1/2 tsp agave syrup
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely microplaned
  • 50ml of olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp table salt
5
Cook the farro in salted boiling water for 10–12 minutes (or as per packet instructions)
  • 125g of farro, (emmer wheat)
6
To serve, halve the leeks lengthwise and sit on a plate. Mix the cooked farro with the zhoug. Place a spoonful of cashew butter on each leek half and spread over the leek. Top with the farro and the chopped cashews and serve with a final drizzle of olive oil