Cannelloni with broccoli and leek

How to make broccoli and leek cannelloni

If you are not very fond of vegetables at home, there are always ways to incorporate them into recipes that no one can resist.

Because maybe when we bring broccoli to the table we don’t exactly start expressions of happiness, but who can say no to some delicious cannelloni?

Today’s recipe is like the meat cannelloni of a lifetime but in a much more digestive and healthy version, with all the nutritional benefits of broccoli or broccoli.

.instagram-follow img{width:100%;height:auto;} @media screen and (min-width: 1000px) {.instagram-follow {display:block;clear:both;float:right;width:50%;margin-left:1em;}}

This vegetable – of the same species as cauliflower and cabbage – is full of vitamins and fiber, and also contains many nutrients with very positive effects for our immune and cardiovascular systems.

Perhaps it does not arouse much sympathy, but it is certainly a great ally of a balanced diet, so there are no excuses to stop incorporating it, even if it is disguised in a recipe like this …

Preparation of broccoli and leek

1. We wash the broccoli and cut the sprouts (we will not use the stems). We put it in a saucepan over medium heat with a good amount of water.
2. We wash, peel and chop the carrots. We add them to the casserole and cook together with the broccoli for about 20 minutes. When it starts to boil add a handful of salt.
3. Meanwhile we wash and chop the leek.
4. We brown it in a frying pan with a stream of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
5. We reserve while we go with the preparation of the bechamel .

Preparation of the béchamel

1. To make the béchamel we begin by sifting the flour with a strainer. This step is very important so that later no lumps occur.
2. We put in a saucepan to heat over medium heat the liter of milk for 4-5 minutes without boiling. This step is to then speed up the sauce preparation process.
3. In another saucepan we introduce the butter and heat it over low heat until it melts, it has to turn a hazelnut color and it will remove a little foam that we can remove if we want.
4. Then we add the sifted flour. The process is called roux, it is the name of this step or mixture of flour and butter, which will help us bind the bechamel.
5. We let it mix until they form small golden-hued masses. This is very important because if the flour is raw, the bechamel will taste a lot like flour and it is not what we want.
6. In the previous step I used butter, but if we want we can use butter and olive oil to equal measures. The oil gives it a special touch. You can try to see if you like it.
7. Mix the flour with the butter very well with a wooden spoon until it is like a ball.
8. We pour the hot milk into the saucepan with the flour and butter.
9. Add salt, pepper to taste and a little ground nutmeg.
10. Stir continuously with a rod (5-6 minutes). We are controlling the temperature and gradually adding the rest of the milk as we see that it thickens. In this step it is best to leave it to a minimum.
11. There will be a homogeneous mixture and most importantly without lumps. If you have not controlled this sauce and you have lumps, you can fix it with a touch of a mixer.
12. If it is too thick with a little more milk, touch a mixer and it will have the desired texture. This way you will have a perfect béchamel.

More preparation of broccoli and leek cannelloni

1. Prepare the cannelloni sheets according to the manufacturer’s instructions and let them cool slightly spread on a clean kitchen cloth.
2. When the vegetable is cooked, drain it and chop with the help of a knife.
3. Mix in a large bowl the cooked vegetables, the poached and drained leek and 2/3 parts of the bechamel. Mix well until you have a uniform mixture.
4. Fill the cannelloni with the mixture using a spoon, close them in a tube and place them in a baking dish.
5. Cover with the rest of the béchamel sauce and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

If you still do not have it clear, I leave you a step by step in photos of this recipe for broccoli and leek cannelloni . Do not miss any detail and it will be perfect.

Tips for perfect broccoli and leek cannelloni

• You have to take care of the amount of bechamel that we use to make the mixture, we do not want it to be too dry or too loose. For that we add it little by little without stopping to find the right consistency.
• If the rest of the béchamel sauce is too consistent to evenly cover the cannelloni, add milk little by little and stir until it is bathed without draining too much.