Are leeks underrated? We think so. They don’t have the sexy wow-factor of, say, asparagus or sugar snaps or watermelon radish. But they can be incredible, especially when you braise them and make them the hero of a dish – as we have here. Braising really brings out their gentler, sweeter side, and their texture becomes meltingly tender too. The key to these leeks is in the preparation: the tough green tops need to be trimmed off and any hidden dirt sluiced out. To do this, you might have to make lengthways criss-crossed cuts through the top of each trimmed leek, which makes accessing areas between those pesky layers easier. (The key is also in ideally using home-made chicken stock; purchased stocks can be salty and lack the fulsome body of a home-made version. They don’t stand up to reducing very well). 

As for the lentils in this dish, it really matters that you use the smaller, darker French-style ones. Regular brown lentils are too mushy; the French-style ones keep their shape and firmness much better when they’re cooked. Plus, they have a lovely peppery, earthy flavour. Considered ‘gourmet’, actual French lentils are called Lentilles du Puy after the south-central Le Puy region where they grow in volcanic soil. 

These leeks would be excellent topped with a herby mayo or prawn mayo or chopped egg-tarragon mayo instead of the mussel-lentil situation. Or you could use prosciutto or prawns instead of mussels with the lentils. You can play with using fresh steamed mussels instead of the marinated ones (which are way faster and easier) or, make the salad vegetarian by using olives, capers and some chopped sun-dried tomatoes (or feta) instead of seafood. Either way, it’s all good.  

SERVES 4-6

6 medium-small leeks

125ml (½ cup) chicken stock

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 sprigs fresh thyme

145g (⅔ cup) French lentils

375g marinated mussels, drained

1 bunch watercress, sprigs picked

Lemon cream dressing

60g (¼ cup) mayo

65g (¼ cup) sour cream

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste

1½ tbsp chopped tarragon, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Trim the leeks, leaving the root end intact and cutting off most of the green part. Wash the leek well to get rid of any lurking soil; you might need to make crosswise cuts through the upper part to access the layers where dirt can hide. Place the leeks in a tight-fitting single layer in a baking dish. 

Combine the stock, olive oil, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Pour over the leeks, then scatter over the thyme. Cover the dish tightly with foil, then bake for 50 minutes -1 hour or until the leeks are very tender. Drain the liquid into a saucepan, then bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the liquid reduces by about a half. Cool the leeks and the reduced liquid to room temperature. 

Meanwhile, cook the lentils in boiling unsalted water for 25 minutes or until tender, then drain well and set aside. 

For the lemon cream dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. refrigerate until needed. 

Place the leeks on a large platter, pour the reduced stock mixture over, then season the leeks with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine the lentils, mussels and watercress in a bowl, toss to combine well, then place over the leeks. Drizzle with lemon cream, then serve.