Conscious Choice: A New Slant on Leeks

January 2003 | Cooking with the Seasons

A New Slant on Leeks

by Terra Brockman

Some ring in the New Year with champagne and oysters, others with rice cakes and sweet bean soup. This year, try letting leeks lead the way. Leeks are thought of (when they are thought of at all!) as a base for winter soups and stews. But they deserve far more attention than a bit player in a winter’s tale.

Leeks have been around for a very long time. The ancient Romans were particularly fond of them. The first century cookbook, Roman Cookery of Apicius, includes 17 recipes for leeks. Among them are fabulous sounding dishes such as "leeks stewed with shell beans in white wine," "beets and leeks in raisin sauce," "leeks and celery poached with honey and pepper," and "leek sauce with pepper for braised meats." The Roman tradition continues all over Europe and the Middle East, where nearly every shopper’s market basket contains a pound or more of leeks — slender ones in spring and summer, fatter ones in fall and winter.

Large leeks are good for stuffing and for making soups. But small or medium leeks have a much better texture and taste. Even though young leeks could be available throughout the summer, it is hard to find anything but big, fat, winter-sized leeks year-round in the stores. Who knows where they came from or how long they have been in storage? For a beautiful chilled vichyssoise soup made from young leeks on a hot summer’s day, you’ll either have to grow your own, which is quite easy, or get your local farmer to harvest young leeks especially for you.

Even robust-looking leeks generally become tender and mild after a brief cooking. So don’t let big leeks — or the dirt often found in them — put you off from preparing some truly delicious leek dishes this winter. The British food writer, Jane Grigson, has some words of advice as to how to begin, "When you start cleaning, do not slice the top green leaves off recklessly with one stroke. Slit round the outside layer beneath the first green leaf and you will often find that the white part goes up inside further than you had thought. By judicious cutting away of the layers, you waste less."

Although leeks nearly disappeared from the tables of the gentry throughout northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, they kept going strong in solid peasant fare. One of the less-known, but more delicious versions of champ is Leek Champ. ("Champ" is one of the best-loved ways of cooking potatoes in Ireland. Simply boil them, mash them with some boiled milk, and stir in a green vegetable such as scallions, chives, nettles, peas, or leeks. Serve the creamy, green-flecked mixture with a big knob of yellow butter melting in the center.)

Leek Champ

(Adapted from Irish Traditional Cooking, by Darina Allen, published by Gil and Macmillan, 1995)

1 pound potatoes

12 ounces leeks

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup milk (or more, depending on dryness of potatoes)

salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Scrub the potatoes and cook in boiling salted water until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, wash and slice the leeks into thin rounds. If the leeks are gritty, slice them longitudinally and rinse well before slicing.

3. Melt one tablespoon butter in a heavy pot. Toss in the leeks and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and cook on low heat until soft and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. As soon as the potatoes are cooked, drain, peel and mash.

5. Bring the milk to the boiling point in a small pan. Beat the buttered leeks and their juices into the potatoes along with enough boiled milk to make a soft texture. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately with a lump of butter melting in the center. Serves four.

Classic Leek and Potato Soup

1 pound potatoes

1/2 pound leeks (about two large leeks)

3/4 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or chervil for garnish

1. Combine the potatoes, leeks, and one quart water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer gently until vegetables are very soft, 35 to 40 minutes.

2. Purée the soup in a food processor and return to the saucepan. Stir in the crème fraiche and cook over low heat just until heated through. Adjust the seasoning and serve, garnished with the fresh herb.

Creamed Leeks with Horseradish

1 pound leeks (about 4 large leeks)

2 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Gruyère cheese

1 Tablespoon horseradish, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim roots and dark green tops off the leeks. Slit each leek down one side to within one-inch of the base. In a large bowl of cold water fan out the leaves of the leeks and rinse them well until there is no grit.

2. In a large skillet heat the butter over moderate heat. Add the leeks and toss them to coat with butter. Add the broth and the cream, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender.

3. Transfer the leeks to a gratin dish. Stir the horseradish into the liquid remaining in the skillet and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the leeks, sprinkle it with Gruyère, and broil the leeks under a preheated broiler about four inches from the heat for two minutes, or until the cheese is golden. Serves two.

Pasta with Leeks, Shallots, and Gorgonzola

4 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups finely chopped onions

6 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 6 medium leeks)

1 bunch green onions (white part only), sliced

1/2 cup chopped shallots

1 pound pasta (spaghettini, rotini, or papardelle work well)

1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese (about four ounces)

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add leeks, green onions and shallots; sauté until very tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well; reserve one-half cup pasta cooking liquid.

3. Return pasta to same pot. Add onion mixture; toss to combine. Mix in reserved cooking liquid by Tablespoonfuls if pasta is dry. Mix in cheese; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Serves six.

Sweet Potato-Leek Pancakes

1 large russet potato, peeled, grated (about two cups)

2 cups coarsely grated peeled red-skinned sweet potato

1 large leek, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise (white and pale green parts only; about 1-G cups)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 large egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

5 Tablespoons (about) vegetable oil

Applesauce

Sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Mix first nine ingredients in large bowl to blend.

2. Heat two Tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop sweet potato mixture by one-quarter cupfuls onto skillet. Using spatula, gently flatten each mound to three- and one-half-inch-diameter round. Cook pancakes until brown and cooked through, about three minutes per side.

3. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as needed.

4. Transfer pancakes to plates. Serve with applesauce and sour cream. Makes about 16 pancakes and serves four to six.

Terra Brockman is the director of The Land Connection Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving farmland and promoting small-scale, diversified, organic agriculture in Illinois. Visit www.thelandconnection.org or call 309-965-2407 to learn how to get involved.

Recommend this page to a friend

Top Ten pages recommended to friends: