Recipe of the week: Leek Flan from ‘Book of Tapas’

This week’s recipe is a simple, delicious dinner from The Book of Tapas (Phaidon), a book that “will give you everything you need to turn out authentic tapas in your own kitchen,” according to cooking columnist Sybil Pratt. As always, if you give this one a try, let us know in the comments!

Leek Flan

Serves 6

4 leeks, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch slices
butter, for greasing
3 eggs
generous 2 cups milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour)
5 oz cooked ham
5 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the leeks and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until very tender. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400ºf (200ºc/gas mark 6) and generously grease an ovenproof serving dish.

Drain the leeks well. Beat the eggs and mix with the milk. Add a small amount of this mixture to the cornstarch to make a paste, then pour the cornstarch mixture into the milk mixture and season with salt and pepper. Chop the ham into small pieces.

Stir in the ham, cheese and leeks, then pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until set, cut into slices and serve hot or cold.

Shared with permission from The Book of Tapas by Simone and Inés Ortega, published by Phaidon Press, 2010, $39.95. Photograph by Mauricio Salinas.