Tag Archives: Leeks

All in the Family Celeriac and Fennel Soup

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3 Tbs. butter

2 leeks

2 fennel bulbs thinly sliced

2 celeriac chopped

1 cup dry white wine

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

6 cups water

½ cup heavy cream

For the smoky Ghee:

4 Tbs. ghee

1 tsp. caraway seed

1 tsp. smoked paprika

For the Gremolata:

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbs. finely diced celery

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add leeks and cook until beginning to soften (2-3 min.).  Add fennel and cook until softened (8-10 minutes). Add celeriac along with salt, bay leaves and thyme, stirring to combine.  Add wine and simmer until mostly evaporated.  Add water and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until all vegetables are soft enough to puree (10-12-min.).  Puree until smooth either in a blender or with an immersion blender.  Re-heat over medium heat and add cream.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

For Ghee:  Melt ghee in saucepan over low heat.  Add caraway seeds and paprika and cook stirring occasionally being careful not to scorch spices (about 4 minutes).  Remove from heat, allow to cool and strain to remove solids.

For Gremolata:  Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix.

Serve soup swirled with ghee and sprinkled with gremolata.

From Mona & Jaret at tournantpdx.com

PARSNIP AND APPLE SOUP

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2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1-2 leeks, finely chopped

1 large parsnip cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 apple peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 teaspoons ground coriander

2 cups of stock or water

salt and pepper

¼  cup heavy cream

parsley, finely chopped

Optional: 1 apple, caramelized (see instructions below)

Melt the butter in a large heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the leeks, parsnips, apples and coriander. Cook, stirring occasionally until the veggies are tender. About 8 minutes. Add the water and season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and then puree the soup in a high speed blender until completely smooth and creamy (you may have to do this in batches). Alternately, you can use an immersion blender but your soup won’t be nearly as smooth or creamy. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the heavy cream. Keep on low heat for an additional 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.  While the soup simmers prepare caramelized apples by chopping one apple into ½ inch pieces then  heating 2 Tbs butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the apple pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the caramelized apples and minced parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serves 2-4 From DishingUpTheDirt.com

Sweet Potato Hash with Brussels Sprouts

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1 leek,

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 small sweet potatoes

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded

2 cups chopped kale

5 eggs

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

black pepper

In a large, nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Into the warm oil, add leeks and cook until they are fragrant and softened. Stir in red pepper flakes, then add the shredded potatoes, stir to incorporate leeks and press into a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until a browned crust begins to form. Stir and cook for 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Stir Brussels sprouts into the potato mixture and cook, stirring frequently for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until sprouts start to wilt. Next add the kale and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.  Meanwhile, in another large, greased skillet over medium-high heat, crack 5 eggs. Cook eggs until the whites are set (for over easy, flip eggs after the whites set slightly and then cook on other side for 30 seconds to a minute). Serve hash hot with a fried egg on top.

Kale, Lentil, and Roasted Beet Salad

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3 leeks (ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise then chopped, thoroughly rinsed and dried)

1 beet (rinsed clean, dried and quartered – remove any rough skin)

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed clean

1 cup vegetable stock (or sub water)

4 big handfuls kale, baby spinach, or spring greens

TAHINI DRESSING

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

3-4 Tbsp good olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet.  Once thoroughly rinsed, add lentils and stock or water to a small saucepan and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes uncovered, or until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside.  Add chopped leeks and beets to the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned. For crispier beets, remove leeks from pan and continue roasting beets for an additional 10-15 minutes (I prefer mine crispier). Set aside.  While veggies and lentils are cooking, prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

If using kale, add to large mixing bowl with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice and massage with hands to soften. For all other greens, skip this step.  Add greens, beets, leeks and lentils to a large mixing bowl, add dressing and toss to coat. For additional protein / crunch, add your favorite nut or seed (such as lightly salted sunflower seeds or roasted pecans).  Leftovers keep for up to a few days, though best when fresh. From the Minimalist Baker

Middle Eastern Leeks

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Try splitting them in half to clean and then chopping into one or two inch lengths and simmering  until tender in olive oil with some lemon, salt and pepper, dried mint, crushed garlic, a little bit of water and a tiny bit of sugar.  They are supposed to cool and then be topped with chopped parsley but  they usually don’t last that long here.  They can also be boiled and the other ingredients (minus the water) poured over as a dressing.

See Claudia Roden and The New Book of Middle Eastern Food for more.

Leonie’s Potato-Leek Soup

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  • 4 medium potatoes
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 chopped leek
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 6 cups stock or water
  • ground black pepper
  • snippets of fresh herbs: thyme, marjoram, basil

Chop leeks, including the greens,  into ½ inch rounds, place into a bowl of cold water with 1 tsp of salt.  Leave soaking for ½ hour.   Clean and peel potatoes and dice into 1″ chunks.   Drain leeks and saute in a saucepan with butter until translucent.  Add potatoes, stock, and seasonings.   Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.   When done, puree the contents of the pan, making sure the puree is absolutely smooth. Return to the saucepan.   Thin with milk if soup is too thick. Heat gently, covered, until just hot. Do not boil.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  For a wonderful touch, swirl a Tbs of heavy cream into each bowl before serving.

Leek Gratin

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  • 6 leeks
  • 5 Tbsp. butter
  • 3 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 ½ c. milk
  • 6 oz. soft goat cheese
  • 4 oz. pancetta (optional)
  • 1 ½ c. grated gruyere
  • salt and pepper
  • nutmeg

Slice leeks into thin rounds about ¼” thick. Slice pancetta into strips. Saute pancetta and leeks in about 2 Tbsp. butter until soft. Meanwhile, make a white sauce: melt 3 Tbsp. butter and stir in flour. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Slowly add milk while stirring constantly. When white sauce has desired consistency, stir in goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Transfer leek and pancetta to a gratin dish. Pour white sauce over leeks. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbling and brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Leek Frittata

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  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 large leeks, sliced into rings
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 Tbs. sour cream
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 Tbs. fresh chives or scallion greens (optional)
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. white pepper

In a 10 inch oven proof skillet, warm the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender.  Remove pan from heat.  Meanwhile whisk eggs lightly. Whisk in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, chives or scallions, salt and pepper.  Pre-heat the broiler.  Place the skillet back on low or medium low heat.  Gently pour in the egg mixture, stirring to evenly distribute the leeks throughout the eggs.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, without stirring, for about 8 minutes or until the eggs are set and only the top remains uncooked.  Place the pan under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes, until the frittata top is lightly browned and the eggs are completely set.  Loosen the frittata with a large spatula and slide it onto a serving plate.  Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of chives or scallions.  Cut a generous wedge for each diner.  If the frittata is too set in the pan for easy removal, simply cut the wedges in the pan.  Serves 6.

From The Onion Book by Jan Roberts-Dominguez.

Leek and Tomato Sauce

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  • 2 leeks
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 sweet pepper
  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables (approx. ¼ inch).  Peel tomatoes, if desired.  Saute leeks in butter and olive oil until translucent.  Add zucchini, sweet pepper and garlic and saute five minutes longer.  Add tomatoes, cover and cook twenty minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper.  Serve over any pasta or firm white fish.  This recipe can be expanded with carrots, celery, beans or just about any other vegetable you like.

Garlic Veloute with Croutons and Prosciutto

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  • 1 oz butter
  • 8 oz. leeks, white part only
  • 12 oz. onions, sliced
  • 4 oz. celeriac (celery root), diced small
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced (15 cloves:  mince 5 more and add after you puree)
  • 1 qt. chicken broth
  • Pinch salt and cayenne pepper
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1 c. hot cream
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 c. cream

Heat the butter in 4 quart non – corrosive pot.  Cook the leek whites, onions and celeriac over low heat.  Add the garlic and continue to cook a few more minutes.  Do not brown the onions.  Add the chicken broth and simmer slowly for another 30 minutes.  Add the salt, cayenne and nutmeg.  Puree in a blender until smooth.  Reheat and add the hot cream.  Adjust the seasonings.  Combine the egg yolks and cream in a 2 quart stainless steel mixing bowl.  Add slowly to the cream soup while whisking to achieve a proper emulsion.  Add more broth if needed.  The veloute should be velvety in texture.

Garnish:

  • 3/4 c. diced stale Italian bread, without crust, small
  • 1 oz. butter
  • 1/2 c. fine julienne of prosciutto