Best In Season with Nicholas Balfe - March
Waiting for Spring, Cooking in Green
March always feels transitional. The light is shifting, the ground is slowly drying out, but the market isn’t flooded with abundance yet. It’s a time for cooking that’s brighter and sharper, but still anchored in what’s actually available.
Leeks do that job well. Not glamorous, perhaps, but dependable and surprisingly elegant when treated properly. Cooked over fire until the outer layers blacken and the centre turns sweet, they carry a depth that belies their simplicity.
This is a dish built on a few strong ideas rather than complexity. Locally grown leeks, superlative Somerset dairy and a salsa that steals the show.
Leeks, Close to Home
Our leeks come from just up the road in Merriott, grown in heavy Somerset soil and pulled at a point when they still have structure and bite. At this time of year they’re sweet, clean and full of flavour, when the rest of what’s growing is still trying to wake up.
Leeks are often boiled into submission or folded quietly into soups. Over fire, they behave differently. The natural sugars caramelise, the outer leaves take on bitterness and smoke, and the centres soften without collapsing. They hold the grill well and benefit from a little patience.
There’s a quiet satisfaction in cooking something so ordinary with a bit more intention. Who would have thought, the humble leek at centre stage...
Westcombe Dairy, of course
I wondered how long this blog would run before Westcombe got a mention. Issue three seems restrained, if I’m honest, such significance do they play in the food culture of this county! Their ricotta is just as strong a product as their cheddar, created from an approach that is rooted in soil health, biodiversity, happy cows and deliciously rich, flavoursome milk. The ricotta is fresh and gently lactic, seasoned with sea salt, lemon zest and just a hint of raw garlic.
It brings balance rather than richness. Against the charred sweetness of the leeks, it cools and steadies the dish. Provenance matters here — not for storytelling, but because flavour carries through. When ingredients are this simple, quality does the talking.
Green Sauce Matters
The unsung hero of the plate is the green sauce. Loaded with soft herbs, Dijon, sherry vinegar and Honest Toil olive oil, it brings acidity, perfume and lift.
It’s not a garnish; it’s structural. It sharpens the leeks, cuts through the dairy and ties everything together. The balance is herbaceous and silky, bright rather than aggressive. In early spring, that kind of clarity is welcome.
Green sauces — whether you call them salsa verde, sauce verte or simply herb dressing — are endlessly adaptable. They’re also an efficient way to use up surplus herbs before they turn, reinforcing the idea that flavour and waste reduction can sit comfortably together.
A Case for Breadcrumbs
The final layer is crunch. Sourdough breadcrumbs, toasted in olive oil until golden, seasoned generously with lemon zest and sea salt.
They’re made from the odds and ends of our house sourdough — heels, trimmings, yesterday’s loaves. It’s a simple habit that turns potential waste into texture and flavour. The crumbs absorb seasoning well, carry nuttiness and give the plate structure without weight.
Against soft leeks and ricotta, they do important work.
Bringing It Together
The leeks are sweet and smoky, their centres tender while the outer layers offer bitterness from the grill. The ricotta cools and rounds everything out. The green sauce brings sharpness and energy. The crumbs add crunch and savoury depth.
It’s a restrained plate, built on four elements that each pull their weight. Less about reinvention, more about attention — to produce, to balance, and to the small decisions that elevate simple ingredients.
As spring edges closer, cooking like this makes sense: grounded, green, and confident without noise.
BBQ Somerset Leeks, Westcombe Ricotta & Green Sauce
Serves 10 as a generous starter / small plate
BBQ Leeks
Ingredients
10 large Somerset leeks
Olive oil
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Trim the roots slightly so the leeks hold together. Remove the top green part of the leeks and reserve for another use. Clean thoroughly to remove any dirt. Dress lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Grill on a hot barbecue or charcoal grill until deeply charred all over. If the leeks are very thick, finish cooking in a moderate oven or wrap in tinfoil to steam throughout.
Remove and rest. Use your fingers to scrape away excess blackened outer leaves if necessary, retaining the smoke and bitterness but leaving the tender, pale hearts.
Ricotta Base
Ingredients
1kg Westcombe ricotta
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 small clove garlic, very finely grated
20g sea salt
50ml olive oil
Method
Add the lemon zest, salt and grated garlic to the ricotta. Whip lightly in a stand mixer to achieve a slightly lighter consistency.
Green Sauce
Ingredients
200g mixed soft herbs (parsley dominant, with dill, chives and tarragon)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
100ml sherry vinegar
200ml Honest Toil olive oil
1 small clove garlic, very finely chopped
1 tsp capers, finely chopped
1 tsp cornichones, finely chopped
Fine sea salt
Method
Chop the herbs by hand using a sharp knife. Cover with oil as you go so they don’t oxidise.
Stir in the remaining olive oil and shallot by hand.
Season carefully. The sauce should be herbaceous and bright, with enough acidity to lift the dairy and char.
Hold at room temperature for service.
Toasted Sourdough Crumbs
Ingredients
300g stale sourdough bread
60ml olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Fine sea salt
Method
Pulse or tear the bread into coarse crumbs.
Toast slowly in olive oil over medium heat, stirring regularly, until deeply golden and crisp.
Season generously with sea salt and lemon zest while still warm. Allow to cool completely before service.
Service & Finishing
Warm the leeks gently if needed.
Ensure the ricotta is cool but not cold.
Re-stir the green sauce and adjust seasoning.
Refresh crumbs briefly in a dry pan if required.
Plating
Spoon a generous base of ricotta into a shallow starter bowl.
Place one grilled leek (or two halves) on top.
Spoon green sauce liberally over the leek so it runs slightly into the ricotta.
Scatter toasted sourdough crumbs generously over the top.
Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil and a few fresh herb leaves if desired.
Serve immediately.