Devon woman’s love of leeks proves a winner

An East Devon woman has risen to a culinary challenge and beaten 400 other entrants to have her leek recipe chosen as the winner of a national competition. 

Alison Thackray (Ally) who lives in Budleigh Salterton, won the competition, run by the British Leek Growers Association, in partnership with parenting website Mumsnet, after submitting her mouth-watering recipe for a cheese and leek soufflé.

Mrs Thackray won £250 in John Lewis vouchers and her receipe will be published online. Five runners up were also chosen to receive copies of Katriona MacGregor’s new cookbook, ‘Healthy, Speedy Suppers’.

Ally, who works at the Tourist Information Centre in Budleigh, and lives in Raleigh Road,  said: “I could not believe it when I found out I had won the competition, I was just so pleased and it was a wonderful prize.”

“It wasn’t an old family recipe or anything it was just one I thought would work and had a good combination of cheese and leeks. I love cooking with British leeks and you will usually find some in our kitchen as they are such a useful ingredient.”

There were more than 400 entrants for the competition, who were asked to submit their favorite leek recipe along with a picture of the dish.

Commenting on the competition's success, Head Judge, Robert Murison from Nunhems Seeds, said: "We were really pleased with the response to our Mumsnet competition and it is great to see how many people love to cook with British leeks.

“The winning recipe was a classic combination, which results in a dish that would be perfect for a family meal or to serve at a dinner party, highlighting just how adaptable leeks are.”

Leeks are in season for most of the year and the health benefits of eating them regularly include reducing 'bad' cholesterol while boosting 'good' cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, protecting against some cancers and stabilising blood sugar levels.

The Winning Recipe:

Ingredients: 1 large leek, a handful of breadcrumbs, 50g of butter, 40g of plain flour, a pinch of cayenne pepper ( optional)
300ml milk, 100g cheddar or other strong cheese, 4 large eggs and salt and pepper to taste.

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/fan180°C/Gas 6 and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.
Brush 6 ramekins with a small amount of melted butter (from the 50g) and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.
Melt rest of the butter in a pan and add the flour, leeks and cayenne pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually add the milk until it comes to the boil - 2 mins until thick and coming away from the sides of the pan.
Stir in the cheese and egg yolks and season well, off the heat.
In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Mix a spoonful into the cheese mixture then gently fold in the rest. Spoon into the ramekins, just up to the rim. Run your finger around the edge of the ramekins/dish to clean. 
Place on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until well risen and golden. Once ready serve immediately with a crisp salad