Leeks
- 4 medium leeks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & black pepper
- 1/2 lemon
Grilled Leeks with Picota Cherry Salsa
Georgia Marshall
23rd September 2026
Grilled Leeks with Picota Cherry Salsa
25 min
The perfect side for your BBQ, written by Omar Allibhoy
Ingredients
Cherry salsa
- 200g Picota cherries, pitted and roughly chopped, keep juices
- 2 medium tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- 60g green olives, pitted and chopped
- 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Black pepper
Method
Trim off the leeks dark green tops (keep a little green for colour) and the root end. Slice each leek lengthways in half.
Heat a BBQ for medium heat (or use a griddle on medium). Brush the cut sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down and grill gently for 5 minutes until you get colour.
Turn the leeks over, move them to a cooler part of the BBQ (or lower the heat), and continue cooking for 10–15 minutes, turning until the thick part is tender when you press it. If they colour too fast, wrap loosely in foil and keep cooking until soft
In a bowl, mix the chopped cherries, tomatoes, olives, anchovies, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, parsley and the picota juices. Season with black pepper. Taste and adjust with a squeeze of lemon if you want it sharper.
Arrange the warm leeks on a platter. Spoon the cherry salsa over the top. Finish with a little extra olive oil.
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