Winter garden gratin recipe

A delicious mix of sprouts and leeks in a cheesy sauce, this warming winter garden gratin will get the whole family eating their greens

Ingredients

• 2 leeks (about 400g), cut into thick slices, washed well
• 200g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved if large
• 30g butter
• 30g plain flour
• 300ml milk
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 good tsp ready-made English mustard
• 125g mixed Gruyère and Cheddar cheeses, grated
• About 30g fresh breadcrumbs (from 1 slice of bread)

Method

1. Add the leeks and sprouts to a large pan of boiling water, bring back to the boil and cook for 2 mins. Drain and refresh under cold water. Leave to drain.
2. Set the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, sprinkle in the flour and stir to make a paste. Cook for a couple of mins. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring, to make a smooth sauce. Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the mustard and just over half of the cheese.
3. Put the leeks and sprouts into a flameproof dish. Pour over the sauce, mix in lightly, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and then the crumbs. Put the dish on a baking tray and bake for 20 mins or until browned on top. Speed this up, if you like, by putting it under the grill — but watch it doesn’t burn.