Leek recipes

[tissue]

Hi! pls help me. I bought a bunch of leeks yesterday and need some ideas on how to cook them.

[snowangel]

Potato leek soup, leek and asparagus soup, Mamster's Leek and Onion Tartlets, carrot/leek gratin (PM me for recipe; I haven't added it to archive yet), roasted with other spring root vegetables are some of the ones that come to mind.

[bigbear]

Ahhhhh..... vichyssoise.

[fimbul]

I'll often slice them crosswise, then saute them in a touch of butter, then braise then in just a touch of wine (red, white... I bet you could use sherry, especially if you served them under fish). I've also used them whole to make a sort of roasting rack for roasting chickens.

Recently, I sliced some leeks thinly, caramelized them in butter, then used them to top focaccia along with a little crumbled stilton and parmesan. I've also cooked them very, very slowly over low heat in butter and used them as a bed for thinly sliced rare beef.

I like leeks. And wasn't Nero (the emperor not the eGulleteer) inordinately fond of leeks, or leek soup? If he's not good company, who is?

[jackal10]

Cheesy leeks,especially leek pie

Sliced finely lengthways and deep fried as a garnish

Use a single layer as a wrapper or stuffed as cannelloni outer

Coarse tops in the stockpot

[Suzanne F]

One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres: braised leeks, chilled, and served with a vinaigrette. Trim off the roots and the tough dark green part; split the leek lengthwise and rinse really, really thoroughly. Single layer in a pan with a lot of butter, salt & pepper, white stock or wine. Bring to a boil, turn down heat, cover, simmer until soft but not falling apart. Drain (save the liquid), chill. Arrange a few pieces on top of some nice lettuce on a plate, drizzle with vinagrette. I make one that has 1 tsp of egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice (more if necessary), 1 tsp vinegar -- white wine or herb -- 1/2 tsp minced garlic, and 1/2 cup oil. You mix it just like mayonnaise -- it will be much thinner, though -- and at the end beat in 1 tsp of heavy cream. This dressing does not break!

(I'm not sure I can enter the dressing recipe in eGRA, since I make it exactly as it was printed in the NY Times in 1978 )

[Jim Dixon]

Leeks used to be called the 'poor man's asparagus,' but the price around here is usually US$1.79/pound.

They're very good just braised in a little water with olive oil or butter. You can eat them hot or let cool and dress with a simple vinaigrette.

I make this leek and celery root soup regularly. It's basically vichyssoise with celery root, but it's really good (Judith isn't crazy about cream or creme fraiche, so I add it at the table to my bowl...it's good without it, but better with it...of course).

Jim

[Bux]

I'll often slice them crosswise, then saute them in a touch of butter, then braise then in just a touch of wine (red, white... I bet you could use sherry, especially if you served them under fish).

We use them in a very similar way to steam or braise salmon. Sautee the leeks (in wide slices) in butter, braise in water or stock (fish, chicken or best -- shrimp broth) and with a little liquid in the pan, steam the salmon fillets or steaks on top with a cover. You may need to turn the salmon over midway and I'm sorry I can't give you timing on this. Some julienne of carrots and celery give the leeks a little color and depth of flavor. In fact you can vary the proportions of the vegetables to meet your taste or what's on hand and if you precook the vegetables separately you can slice and dice them any size you want.

[Jinmyo]

All wonderful. Leek and potato potage is classic.

Sometimes I'll slice the leeks into teeny rings, saute in grapeseed oil with slivers of ginger. Add dashi (kombu and bonito stock) and braise for about ten minutes. Add thin strips of sirloin or slices of rare duck breast and gojuchang (Korean chile miso paste), plate with some thin scallion pieces atop and a bit of gomasio. Seve together with gyoza (fried dumplings) or onigiri (rice balls) and a few other items like kimchi or Japanese cucumber pickles.

[Marlene]

One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres: braised leeks, chilled, and served with a vinaigrette.  Trim off the roots and the tough dark green part; split the leek lengthwise and rinse really, really thoroughly.  Single layer in a pan with a lot of butter, salt & pepper, white stock or wine.  Bring to a boil, turn down heat, cover, simmer until soft but not falling apart.  Drain (save the liquid), chill.  Arrange a few pieces on top of some nice lettuce on a plate, drizzle with vinagrette.  I make one that has 1 tsp of egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of mustard,  2 teaspoons of lemon juice (more if necessary), 1 tsp vinegar -- white wine or herb -- 1/2 tsp minced garlic, and 1/2 cup oil.  You mix it just like mayonnaise -- it will be much thinner, though -- and at the end beat in 1 tsp of heavy cream.  This dressing does not break!

(I'm not sure I can enter the dressing recipe in eGRA, since I make it exactly as it was printed in the NY Times in 1978  )

You can if you just put th method in your own words rather than copying it verbatim

[Basilgirl]

Marcella Hazan has a great leek/chickpea soup recipe in her cookbook, Marcella Cucina. And I don't even like chickpeas.

[davidscooking]

Here's a potato-leek soup recipe I use. Leave out the roasted garlic and/or the ham if you want something simpler.

Potato Leek Soup with roasted garlic and ham

[Jim Dixon]

I had the ingredients on hand to make the potato-celery root-leek soup I mentioned above, but we're having a little balmy spring weather and it just didn't feel like a soup night.

So I peeled, cubed, and steamed the celery root and potato together. I chopped a leek and sauteed it in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Mashed the cooked celery root-spud (coarsely, with my grandmother's old masher) with some more oil (a nice fruity oil from Tuscany), a small dollop of creme fraiche (probably unnecessary, but it was in the fridge and I would've used it in the soup), and a cup or so of grated Parmigiano (salt and pepper to taste). Stirred in the cooked leeks.

Put this in a casserole, topped with bread crumbs moistened with more oil, and baked for about 30 minutes at 350F.

Good

Jim

[kitwilliams]

One of my favorite hors d'oeuvres: braised leeks, chilled, and served with a vinaigrette. 

Most successful hors d'oeuvres I ever s'oeuvred (couldn't resist) came from a Welsh cookbook by Gilli Davies, Lamb, Leeks and Laverbread. Gilli called them "Croffta Leeks" due to the fact that she used a Welsh wine by that name, but she states that this is a medieval recipe from Rome. She cooks and serves them whole as a side dish. I slice them in 1" pieces, cooking as directed, and serve as a casual appetizer with chunks of bread and guests dip their bread straight into the pot on the stove.

450 g. slim young leeks

5 Tbsp. olive oil

225 ml dry white wine

salt and pepper

Trim, soak, rinse and drain leeks.

Combine oil, wine and seasoning in large saucepan or small stockpot. Add leeks and simmer on stove for about 25 minutes or until leeks are tender. Serve warm or cold.

simple and awesome.

[tissue]

Here's a potato-leek soup recipe I use.  Leave out the roasted garlic and/or the ham if you want something simpler.

Potato Leek Soup with roasted garlic and ham

I tried this recipe. It was tasty.

Thanks!

[scrumdiddlyumptious]

Mushroom Leek Loaf from Moosewood Cookbook. Labor intensive but very worth the effort.