Braised Leeks

Ingredients

• 4-6 leeks
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3-4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• Salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup white wine or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Method

1 Cut off the ends of the leeks until you get to the shank; a little of the light green part is fine, but not too much of it. If you want, you can save the unused portion of the leeks in the freezer for making stock later. Slice through the shank of the leek lengthwise until you get to the root end—do not cut through the root just yet. Clean the leeks under cold running water, as leeks are usually dirty. Once the leeks are free of any dirt or grit, cut through the root to make two long pieces of leek.

2 Get a sauté pan large enough to hold the leeks in one layer and heat the butter in it over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and begins to foam, turn the heat down to medium and add the minced garlic and then the leeks, cut side down. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just to get them a little browned and to let the butter get into the leeks. Turn over and sprinkle with salt, then cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.

3 Turn the leeks back over so the cut side is down, sprinkle the leeks with the sugar, the thyme leaves and a touch more salt. Add the white wine with the bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 35-45 minutes over medium-low heat.

4 When the leeks are tender enough so that a knife blade pierces them easily, uncover the pot and bring the braising liquid to a rolling boil. Let this reduce by half, then turn off the heat. Add the parsley, swirl it around and serve.

Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish

Creamed Leeks and Greens

1 c sliced leeks, white & light green parts only, well washed
1/2 T butter
salt
pepper
1/3 c heavy cream
1 bunch (about 2 c packed) dark leafy greens (yukina savoy, swiss chard, etc.), stems removed & washed
Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large oven-safe sauté pan. Add the leeks & season them with salt & pepper. Cook the leeks until just tender. Pour in the cream & bring to a simmer. Add the greens to the pan & stir until wilted & the cream has reduced some. Once the greens are wilted spread them out to cover the bottom of the pan. Grate Parmesan cheese over the top. Place in the oven & allow to bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Zucchini Potato Bake from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into large pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into slices or smaller chunks
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (try using leeks or onions when red peppers aren't in season yet)
  
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• paprika to taste
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium baking pan, toss together the zucchini, potatoes, red bell pepper, garlic, bread crumbs, and olive oil. Season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Bake about 40minutes in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and lightly brow

Lots of Leeks Tart from the New Basics Cookbook

For those of you who have been remiss in eating your leeks in a timelyfashion, here is a recipe for a wonderful, simple treat:

1. Rinse 8 leeks and pat dry. Dice the white bulb and light greenpart of 7 of the leeks. Slice the white bulb and light green part of thelast leek into ¼ inch thick rounds and reserve.

2. Thaw one 12x12 sheet of prepared puff pastry dough. Unroll thesheet on a dusting of flour and place on a baking sheet. Prick the sheetall over with a fork. Brush the yolk of one egg all over the sheet andbake 5 min in a preheated 400oF oven. Let cool.

3. Saute the diced leeks in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heatfor 5 min until wilted. Add 1/3 cup chicken broth and simmer over mediumheat until all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

4. Fill the cooled crust with the leek mixture. Decorate the top ofthe tart with the reserved leek slices. Sprinkle with pepper and choppedparsley or cilantro. Bake at 400oF until golden, about 15 minutes.

Serves 4.