Submitted by poultrygeist
A nice one to hold your feet to the floor.
Potato and Leek Crunch
300g/10oz potatoes, scrubbed
150g/5oz leeks, washed
a sprig of rosemary
1x400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
a pinch of chilli powder
300ml/0.5pt cheese sauce *
75g/3oz breadcrumbs
25g/1oz butter or margarine, melted
50g/2oz sunflower seeds, browned under the grill
1 scant tbs chopped raw onion
Cut the potatoes and leeks into small dice. Cover with water, add the rosemary and simmer for 8-10 mins, or until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp. Drain thoroughly and remove the rosemary.
Mix the cooked vegetables with the drained tomatoes. Season to taste with a little chilli powder, then fold in the cheese sauce. Pour into an ovenproof dish.
For the topping, mix the breadcrumbs with the melted butter or margarine and fold in the sunflower seeds and raw onion. Mix thoroughly.
Spread the topping over the vegetables. Bake at 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for 25-30 mins or until golden brown and crisp on top.
* cheese sauce
40g/1.5oz plain flour
40g/1.5oz butter or margarine
450/5fl oz milk
50-75g/2-3oz grated cheese
bay leaf (optional)
salt and pepper
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and whisk continuously with a wire whisk over a medium heat until the sauce comes to the boil and becomes smooth. Simmer for 5 mins to allow the flour to cook thoroughly, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove the bay leaf, add cheese, salt and pepper and stir until the cheese has melted.
You can also add different vegetables and increase the quantities. Sweet potato, squash and carrots work well.
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