Leeks with a Gruyère Sauce

Top and tail the leeks, remove the outer leaves and clean. Cut the leeks into pieces that can stand upright within a cooking ring with a height equal to the depth of the ring. Put these pieces into a steamer standing up. Steam until tender but not falling apart, this will probably take around 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, take off the heat, stir in the flour well, put back on the heat and slowly add the milk stirring all the time. When done season well with salt and pepper. Grate the cheese and stir into the sauce tasting from time to time and then put to one side.

When the leeks are ready, rewarm the sauce if necessary, put the cooking rings into an ovenproof dish, and pour some sauce into the base of each ring. Fill each ring with leek pieces and pour over some more cheese sauce  Picture  . Put the dish into the oven at 350°F/180°C/Reg4 and finish off for ten minutes or so.

When ready, use a slice to carefully put the leeks on to serving plates and then carefully remove the cooking rings.