Spinach Loaf On Yellow Peppers

25 g/1 oz polyunsaturated margarine
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
225 g/8 oz leeks, trimmed, washed and finely chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper
275 g/10 or spinach, tough stalks discarded
50 g/2 oz fresh white breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
pinch of grated nutmeg
350 ml/12 fl or skimmed milk
chervil sprigs, to garnish
Sauce:
2 yellow peppers, cored, deseeded and roughly
chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
150 ml/1/4 pint vegetable stock

Melt the margarine in a pan and fry the garlic and leek until soft but not brown. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the spinach leaves in a steamer until just limp, about 10 seconds. Remove 15 of the best leaves and dry on absorbent kitchen paper. Squeeze all water from the remaining spinach between 2 plates, and chop the spinach finely.

Grease or oil a 450 g/1 lb loaf tin and line with the spinach leaves. Stir the chopped spinach into the leeks. Remove from heat and add the bread- crumbs, eggs, egg yolk and nutmeg; season well with salt and pepper.

Heat the milk to just below boiling point and stir it into the vegetable mixture. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin. Cover with greased foil or greaseproof paper and tic down. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook in a steamer over water that is barely boiling for 50 to 60 minutes. If the mixture gets too hot the eggs will curdle.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the yellow peppers, lemon juice, shallot and stock in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Work in a blender or food processor, then sieve. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Flood the serving dish with yellow sauce. Ease the sides of the loaf tin with a sharp knife and turn out on to the sauce. Garnish with sprigs of chervil.

SERVES 4

275