Roasted Leeks with Butter Beans, Hazelnuts and Miso Dijon Vinaigrette
Roasted leeks are one of my favorite dishes to serve all year long but especially in the colder months. They are so simple to make and are packed with flavor (they are a part of the allium family after all) and are the perfect blank slate to be dressed up however fancy or simple you like. Roasting leeks renders them caramelized and succulent and perfect for a vibrant vinaigrette. I’ve done a play on the classic French dish Leeks Vinaigrette— my dish adds butter beans for protein and a lovely creaminess, along with crumbles of tangy goat cheese and crunchy hazelnuts. The subtle player here is the addition of yellow miso— in both the vinaigrette and the brown butter that bathes the butter beans (say that ten times fast!)— and that umami permeates the entire dish with a lovely mouth-watering complexity.
This dish is super versatile— for lunch add a few poached eggs, or for dinner serve with a piece of fish or chicken. For the vinaigrette, I’ve taken inspiration from my favorite salad at NYC’s Via Carota— where they rinse the shallots in warm tap to mellow out the flavor, and they add a touch of water to thin out the dressing to the perfect consistency.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
6 leeks
1 tbsp white or yellow miso, plus 1 tsp
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
1 medium shallot, minced (approx. 3 tbsp)
1 15oz can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
½ cup goat cheese, crumbled
Flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Flaky sea salt for finishing
Kosher salt and black pepper
METHOD
Preheat oven to 425F and place a sheet pan in the lower third of the oven.
Trim base of leeks ensuring they are still intact, and cut off dark green parts, reserving only white and light green. Wash thoroughly and pat dry. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Carefully remove sheet pan from oven and place leeks cut side down (you should hear a sizzle!) and roast in oven for 20 minutes. Turn leeks over and continue to roast for 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, add hazelnuts and toast until fragrant— approximately 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out skillet. Return skillet to heat and add butter and 1 tsp miso and stir to combine— melt until butter is a golden nutty brown— approximately 2-3 minutes— then add butter beans and gently stir to coat and warm the beans. Set aside.
To make the vinaigrette, add 1 tbsp miso, Dijon, whole grain mustard, rice wine vinegar and olive oil to a small bowl and whisk. Season with salt (not too much since the miso is salty) and pepper. Rinse chopped shallot under tap water using a wire mesh strainer (this’ll mellow out the onion flavor a bit), drain and add to the bowl. Add 1-2 teaspoons water to thin out as needed and whisk until fully combined. Vinaigrette can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
To serve, arrange leeks cut side up on plate along with butter beans, hazelnuts, and goat cheese, then drizzle with vinaigrette atop. Garnish with parsley and finish with flaky sea salt and olive oil— serve warm or at room temperature.
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