9 leeks (approx. 495g), roots and dark green tops trimmed
2tsp coarse sea salt
1 1⁄2tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Spanish onion (approx. 170g), thinly sliced
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
225g unsalted butter, cut into 2.5cm cubes
peel 2 lemons, removed with a peeler
600ml extra virgin olive oil
1tbsp champagne vinegar
For the oregano oil
8g fresh oregano leaves
1tbsp sea salt flakes
480ml extra virgin olive oil
To serve
4 x 2.5cm thick sourdough slices, preferably seeded
225g ricotta, strained in a colander overnight, then paddled in a mixer or pulsed in a food processor until smooth
8 Cantabrian anchovy fillets in oil, split lengthways into long, thin pieces
1tbsp dried thyme flowers or fresh thyme leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to
180C/160C F/Gas 4.
Cut the leeks crossways into 10cm-long pieces, then
split them in half lengthways.
Rinse with slightly warm water
to remove any grit, holding
securely so the layers don’t
separate and fall apart. Put the
rinsed leeks, cut-side down, in
a baking dish. Sprinkle the sea
salt and black pepper over,
scatter the onion and garlic
over and disperse the cubes of
butter, the lemon peel and the
olive oil evenly over everything.
Roast for 35-40 minutes until the
leeks have no resistance when
poked with a skewer and the
tops start charring a bit. Remove
from the oven, drizzle with the
vinegar and set aside to cool.
For the oregano oil, combine
the oregano and sea salt in a
pestle and mortar and pound
until the oregano gets a bit
pulpy. Begin adding the oil,
1tbsp at a time, pounding and
smashing the oregano gently
so as not to splash the oil.
When you have added all
the oil, allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Strain the oregano
oil through muslin into a small
jar, pressing on the herbs to
extract all the liquid.
Toast the bread under the
grill until golden on both sides,
allowing it to char a little.
Spoon a thin layer of the
whipped ricotta over the toasts,
then arrange an even layer of
the room-temperature leeks
over the ricotta, along with
some of their juices. Add a few
spoonfuls of the oregano oil,
put the anchovies on top of the leeks and garnish with the thyme flowers or leaves.
Sprinkle sea salt and black
pepper over and serve.
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM THE FOUR HORSEMEN BY NICK CURTOLA AND GABE ULLA, PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID MALOSH (ABRAMS, £30).
