Leeks Braised in Oil or Butter
Instructions:
Serve as a side dish or first course and note all the possibilities
in the variations. You can also use this as a starting
point for mixed vegetable dishes or sauces.
Other vegetables you can use: onions or shallots.
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or butter
3 or 4 leeks (about 11/2 pounds), trimmed and cleaned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup any stock (to make your own, see Vegetable Stock
) or water Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 30 minutes
) or water
- Put the oil or butter in a skillet or saucepan that will hold the leeks in one layer and has a lid. Turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot or the butter is melted, add the leeks; sprinkle them with salt and pepper and cook, turning once or twice, until they’re just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the leeks are tender, about 20 minutes. If the leeks are still swimming in liquid, uncover, raise the heat, and boil some of it away, but allow the dish to remain moist.
- Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the leeks, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold, sprinkled with a little more lemon juice and garnished with parsley.
- Leeks Braised in Red Wine.
- Substitute red wine for the stock; add a sprig of fresh thyme and a bay leaf along with the wine.
- Braised Leeks with Tomato.
- Step 1 remains the same, but be sure to use oil. In Step 2, use 1 cup chopped tomato, preferably fresh, in place of the stock. Proceed with the recipe, finishing with either lemon juice or vinaigrette.
- Braised Leeks with Olives.
- Use olive oil. In Step 2, after the liquid comes to a boil, add about 1 cup black olives; best are oil cured (you can leave the pits in), but any will do and all are good. (You’ll need less salt.)
- Braised Leeks with Mustard.
- In Step 2, before adding the stock or water, whisk into it 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or to taste.
- Braised Leeks au Gratin.
- Cook the leeks as directed, using an ovenproof skillet. In Step 3, omit the lemon juice; sprinkle the leeks with about 1 cup of grated Emmental (Swiss) or Parmesan cheese and run under the broiler until brown, just 3 or 4 minutes.