Boy, oh boy, I am so excited we finally get to talk about leeks! I have got some serious love for these mouth watering alliums. These beauties may seem intimidating, but I promise you, they are no harder to prepare than their onion cousins. Now, I can hear you thinking “but how do I clean these things?” It’s easy; just chop off the dark leafy bit, slice off the root end-not too much now-split down the middle and rinse any remaining dirt away. Once you’ve got them all squeaky clean, you can finally add their delicate deliciousness to as many dishes as you can think of!
To start, one of the tastiest, most comforting meals ever, grilled cheese, can be made simply or gourmet. I like to ride the middle and add some leeks to mine. Adding them uncooked, before they develop sweeter notes, gives just the right amount of kick to grilled cheddar and mustard on thick wheat bread. Add some olives to really knock it out!
We’ve talked about the cabbage and potato dish colcannon before, and this is a great place for leeks to shine. If you’ve got them, bringing them to the party adds a greater depth to the dish. Leeks also add natural decadence to a gorgeous soup, or creamy risotto.
Finally, I want to share my all time (so far) favorite leek recipe; leek and mustard pie. I stumbled upon this recipe in an old printing of the Greens Cookbook a couple years ago, and haven’t looked back since. It’s basically a quiche, but so rich and yummy it seems like it would be so much more complex! Really it’s super easy if you leave the crust making to someone else. If Josh and I are ever invited to a potluck, you can bet this is the dish we bring!
Try this weirdo out; if you don’t already, I hope you find you love leeks as much as I do!
(PS. Farmer Zippy loves leeks too – look and see!)
For more background about leeks and how to care for and use them, look here.
For even more recipes, look here.
