How To Prepare Leeks?

[Becky]

Pizza! The Moosewood Low-Fat cookbook has a really delicious leek and feta pizza recipe in it. As I recall, the leeks are sauteed with basil and spread on top of the crust before baking.

Google turns up a lot of pizza recipes, but not the one I'm thinking of... A bunch of them look really good too!

[Velocivixen]

Hey thanks for the quick replies. I was thinking about sauteeing them in olive oil with crushed garlic? Sounds like I could throw them on a salad or something similar.

[Norse]

Hey thanks for the quick replies. I was thinking about sauteeing them in olive oil with crushed garlic? Sounds like I could throw them on a salad or something similar.

That sounds good, perhaps throw in a little crushed red pepper with the olive oil before adding the leeks and garlic. My favorite leek dish involves sauteeing them with garlic and chicken stock, then adding fresh thyme, sauteed cut up chicken breast and a pat of butter for the finish and then serving over an egg noodle, or lemon-pepper pasta.

[tulip]

My favorite leek dish involves sauteeing them with garlic and chicken stock, then adding fresh thyme, sauteed cut up chicken breast and a pat of butter for the finish and then serving over an egg noodle, or lemon-pepper pasta.

Oh my goodness that sounds good!

[Velocivixen]

@Norsegoddess, I've written it down! So would you sautee the chicken first, remove from pan, then saute the leeks with chicken broth, oil, garlic, pepper flakes & thyme a bit, then add the chicken back in? I have all the ingredients for this! Sounds delicious.

@tulip, thanks for the omelette advice. My DH already removed all the outer, green long "fronds" and put them in the yard debris barrel. Okay, I'll slice them in half long ways and soak.
Now I'm actually excited!

[MomOnBike]

If leeks you like, but do their smell dislike,
Eat onion and you shall not smell the leek.
If of onion you would the smell dispell,
Eat garlic. That will kill the onion's smell!

(origin unknown)

[Norse]

@Norsegoddess, I've written it down! So would you sautee the chicken first, remove from pan, then saute the leeks with chicken broth, oil, garlic, pepper flakes & thyme a bit, then add the chicken back in? I have all the ingredients for this! Sounds delicious.

@tulip, thanks for the omelette advice. My DH already removed all the outer, green long "fronds" and put them in the yard debris barrel. Okay, I'll slice them in half long ways and soak.
Now I'm actually excited!

Yes, sautee the chicken first until mostly cooked and set aside, keep warm. Add a little more olive oil to the pan and then sautee the sliced leeks - I add the minced garlic after a few minutes have passed as otherwise the garlic will burn. After they have started to soften, add about 1/4 cup of white wine and turn heat up to deglaze, then add stock and thyme (I don't use red pepper in this dish) and reduce heat and simmer until stock reduces a little; add chicken back in with accumulated juices and pat of butter. Salt and pepper as you go. Toss it all with the pasta and serve. I like to add a little freshly grated parmesean on top too.

[NbyNW]

DH like to slice them up, toss them with whatever root vegetables we have (carrots, potatoes, beets, parsnips, anything really!) with a bit of olive oil, salt & pepper, pop in oven and roast the heck out of everything.

If you're feeling really dangerous you can toss them with whatever pan juices come off of the meat of the day and stir in a little cream.

[Norse]

That sounds good, perhaps throw in a little crushed red pepper with the olive oil before adding the leeks and garlic. My favorite leek dish involves sauteeing them with garlic and chicken stock, then adding fresh thyme, sauteed cut up chicken breast and a pat of butter for the finish and then serving over an egg noodle, or lemon-pepper pasta.

Oh my goodness, I forgot a very important ingredient! After the leeks and garlic have sauteed in olive oil until they start to soften a little, and before I add the chicken stock, I deglaze with a little dry white wine to add a punch of acidity. Bon appetit!

[tulip]

I adore leeks! They take so long to grow in the garden, but they are so worth it to me. Mine are getting to harvest size, and I planted them last July or August...whew! I have 74 that made it through the winter, so I will soon be eating alot of leeks.

I like them in omelettes (sautee first) and all sorts of soups. I will have to try them on pizza--that sounds divine!

Use the white parts and just a bit of the light green parts. Be sure to wash them very thoroughly because the fans hold dirt. If you soak them for an hour, that usually floats all the dirt up. Or you can split them and take the layers apart.

Toss the green parts in your compost--your garden will thank you for it.