Leeks

Leeks Recipes

 

Availability: October-December (or as supplies last)

Storage tips: Refrigerate in the crisper drawer or plastic bag for at least a 1-2 weeks.

How to eat: Make sure to wash your leeks to remove any dirt trapped in them: remove the roots and trip off the green leaves on the top. Slice lengthwise halfway through and rinse under running water. Then slice according to your recipe. Leeks can be stir-fried, braised, or used in soups and casseroles.

How to preserve: FREEZE:  To freeze leeks is simple.  Clean them well as above, then slice how ever you want and put into a freezer bag.  Freeze!  OR cook them into the "Melted Leeks" recipe listed below and freeze that.

Basic Leeks and Cabbage

I consider this recipe to be a basic formula to which you can add anything to dress it up!  I've listed some ideas below and get creative adding your own!  Let me know if you come up with a good one ;)

1 bunch of leeks, cleaned and sliced thinly
½ to 1 head cabbage, cored and shredded
2-4+ TBLS butter
1-3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
optional: crumbled bacon, blue cheese, minced apple, ground cumin and/or other dried/fresh herbs to taste

Bring large pot of water to boil.  Add leeks and cabbage and bring to boil.  Simmer 3 minutes.  Drain well.  Rinse in cold water.  Drain again.  Heat butter in large skillet on medium.  Sauté garlic briefly, stirring.  Add cabbage, leeks, & optional apple.  Sauté 5-10 minutes until tender and hot though.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and optional additional flavorings/ingredients.

Colcannon Soup
  • 3-4 TBLS butter
  • 1-2 cups leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • 2-4 cups kale, chopped
  • 3 cups potatoes, cut in ¾” dice
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • ¼ cup heavy cream

Heat butter in heavy bottomed pot over med heat. Add leeks and kale and sauté until wilted and soft, about 10 min. Add potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to boil and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20 min. Remove from heat, stir in cream, and serve hot. Blend for a pureed version. 

Cream of Potato Leek Soup (Vichyssoise)

This recipe can be made in early summer or late fall or winter, using baby leeks and new potatoes or fall leeks and potatoes.

1 large or 2 medium leeks or one bunch of baby leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 tbls butter
¾ pound potatoes, chopped
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
Several sprigs of thyme (optional)
¾ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced chives or parsley or green onion tops for garnish (optional)

How to clean and chop leeks: cut off the little tuft of roots and discard, then chop as far up the stalk as you can until you get to a leaf. Pull off the leaf and chop up to the next leaf and so on until there’s no stalk left. As you pull off each leaf you will probably need to rinse off any soil or grit that you expose.

Sauté leeks in butter until soft. Add potatoes and broth, bring to a boil and skim off and discard any foam that rises to the top. Add optional thyme and simmer until potatoes are soft. Discard thyme, let soup cool slightly. Puree with either a handheld blender or in a blender with center part of cover removed to let steam escape. Stir in cream, salt and pepper to taste and either serve hot with optional garnish, or chill in refrigerator for at least four hours and serve cold with optional garnish. Serves 2-4.

Curried Carrot, Leek and Apple Soup

This recipe is another variation on the basic way that I make soup.  You can really add any veggie ingredients you want with the same form so if you don't have one substitute another.  This would be good with cooked winter squash instead of carrots.

2-4 TBLS oil or butter
1 bunch leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
1-3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 teaspoons curry powder, to taste
chicken broth to cover
coconut milk to taste (I used 1/2 can)
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a sauce pan on medium.  Add leeks and saute until becomming tender, about 5-10 minutes.  Do not brown.  Add carrots, apple, garlic, curry powder, and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and simmer until carrots are very tender.  Add coconut milk and heat through.  Puree until smooth and add salt to taste.  Yum!

Curried Lentil Vegetable Soup
  • 3 TBLS cooking oil
  • 1-2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
  • 3 large carrots, chopped
  • 1.5 cups lentils, any color
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium potatoes, chopped
  • 3-4 cups broth of choice
  • 1 cup coconut milk, or to taste
  • 1 TBLS ginger root, minced
  • 1 TBLS lime juice, or to taste
  • 1 TBLS sweetener of choice
  • 1 TBLS curry powder
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ pound spinach, chopped

Sauté leeks and carrots, 5 min. Add rest of ingredients except spinach. Simmer until desired tenderness. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Check seasonings and serve.

Leeks Vinaigrette

1 bunch leeks
2 tsp red wine vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
½ tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbls olive oil
½ Tbls chopped fresh parsley (or other fresh herb)


Cut leaves off leeks, and slit halfway through each leek starting from green end, stopping 2 inches shy of the white end. Rinse in a bowl of water to clean. Add leeks to a pot of boiling salted water (5 cups water, 1 tsp salt) and simmer until tender, about 10 min. Drain. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, olive oil and parsley. Drizzle over leeks. Serves 2-4.

Melted Leeks

What does melted leeks not go with??  Try it on a pasta salad, mac and cheese, pizza, to top fish, with mashed potatoes, or on eggs with a little goat cheese on top.  Mmmm!

  • 2 cups leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • 1-3 TBLS olive oil
  • 1 TBLS butter
  • salt to taste

To clean your leeks, chop off the tops and the root ends, slice in half lengthwise, and rinse under running water to clean between the layers.  Thinly slice.  Heat oil and butter on medium in a heavy bottomed skillet.  Add leeks and stir to coat in oil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes until very tender (no firmness or chewiness should be remaning).  Add more oil if need be to keep things from getting too dry.

Refrigerate or freeze if not using right away.  

Roasted Leeks & Mushrooms over Arugula

You could put this over any tender green.  Spinach or baby kale would work well here, too.

  • 6 oz baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 med-lg leek, halved lengthwise & sliced
  • 2 med carrots, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 TBLS olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bag arugula greens, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 425. Toss veggies other than arugula with oil, salt, and pepper on large baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 min, stirring once halfway through. Meanwhile mix following ingredients to make a dressing: Juice of 1 lemon ¼ cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Put arugula in large bowl and mix in hot roasted veggies and dressing. Serve immediately. 

Roasted Leeks and Brussels Sprouts
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved or quartered
  • 1 bunch leeks, cleaned well and coarsely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped, to taste
  • 2-3 TBLS olive oil
  • 1-2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
  • Drizzle of honey, to taste

Clean leeks well by chopping off leaf and root parts, slicing lengthwise, and rinsing well under running water. Put prepared Brussels sprouts, leeks, and garlic on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil, vinegar, and honey on top. Mix thoroughly using your hands. Roast in 375 degree oven until tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting.