Rustic leeks

Adapted from Fabio's Italian Kitchen.
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If you are a fan of Top Chef and know Fabio Viviani, please look up his story of “leeks tucked in bed”. If you are not a Top Chef fan, do not worry, as this is a wonderful recipe that is simple and yet will woo dinner party guests. The key to this recipe is blanching the leeks long enough – they should be nearly ready to eat when you align them in the pan. Serves 6.

Ingredients

• 8 leeks, cleaned
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon dark balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups Pecorino or salty Parmesan cheese, grated
• 6 slices prosciutto

 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
2. Cut the top 2 inches off the leeks (the green part), and chop each leek into 1-2 in leek logs. Blanch them for about 10–12 minutes in boiling salted water, remove from water and drain. Arrange logs so they are standing up standing up on their ends like soldiers, close together, in an ovenproof pan. We used a cast iron skillet, but a 9’’ square baking pan would be good as well.
3. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, mustard and balsamic glaze. Add the leeks and toss them to coat. Pour over the leeks and be sure to get it into the “rings” of the leek logs.
4. Shave some cheese over the leeks, then lay the prosciutto over the cheese if you are using it, tucking the slices under the bottoms of the leeks so they are fully covered.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the cheese or prosciutto starts to get really crispy. For serving,