With executive chef Ralph Dahlhaus’ recipe for marinated leek, poached egg and Dutch shrimp, you will cook with Roman emperor Nero’s favourite vegetable!
Leeks are often solely being used in soups and sauces. That is a pity, because it is a very tasty vegetable. Rumour has it that it was emperor Nero’s favourite vegetable, although that might not be leek’s best recommendation!
"Instead of shrimp, you can use ham, smoked salmon or smoked chicken"
Leeks are favoured by bees and bumblebees. They particularly like the leek flowers, so it’s a good idea to put them in your garden. They grow all year round, depending on the variety of leek.
In this recipe we are going to use both the white and the green parts of the leek, so you don’t have to throw away anything. The green part of the leek will be used to make leek oil.
"Leeks are favoured by bees and bumblebees. They particularly like the leek flowers, so it’s a good idea to put them in your garden."
Ingredients
- 2 thin leeks (around 300 g)
- 1 dl olive oil
- 6 basil leaves
- half a bunch of parsley
- 4 eggs, very fresh
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp vinegar, such as white wine vinegar
- 100 g Dutch shrimp
- chives
- 4 pieces of cling film
- neutral oil (like sunflower oil)
"Many people are intimidated by the process of poaching eggs, but with this method anyone can do it"
Method
- Cut the root end off the leeks, discard. Cut off the green parts.
- Rinse the leeks well. If the outer leaf looks dirty or damaged, discard it.
- To make the leek oil, finely cut the green parts. Put them in a blender with the basil, parsley and olive oil and blend really well. If it needs more olive oil to properly blend, use more olive oil.
- Pass the oil through a sieve (or through a coffee filter for very clear oil). The oil will keep a week or two in the fridge. It is delicious over scrambled eggs, or over pasta.
- In the meantime, sauté or grill the leek’s white parts; it should still have some bite.
- Take 1 dl of leek oil and mix it with the vinegar and the mustard. Toss the leeks with the leek oil vinaigrette and let marinate.
A receipe from Ralph Dahlhaus, executive chef at the National Maritime Museum
Many people are intimidated by the process of poaching eggs, but with this method anyone can do it.
- Take a piece of cling film measuring 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch). Grease it with a touch of neutral oil.
- Place the cling film in a coffee cup (oil on the inside). Crack an egg in the cup and tie up the cling film with a piece of string.
- Get a pot of water to a simmer. Gently lower the cling film bags into the water.
- Put the bags in cold water after 3 minutes. Cut open the bags to reveal your poached eggs.
The shrimp do not require a lot of work. Just mix them with some finely chopped chives, freshly ground black pepper and some lemon juice. Instead of shrimp, you can use ham, smoked salmon or smoked chicken.
Ralph Dahlhaus is executive chef at the National Maritime Museum. These recipes allow you to follow the “Dutch Cuisine” principles: tasty, sustainable, varied, honest and seasonal.
