Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. But why should we treat them like the Muzak of the allium world when they have their own distinct, fresh sweetness, full of character and grassy-green color? Stir to … Add potatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Many choices for using kale, collard greens, and more...even leek top greens! Often, you’ll see the delicately flavored leek used as a background note in places where it seems like onions might be too strong. Matcha, Black Sesame, and Kinako Neapolitan Cookies. Trim off root, save for compost or stock scraps. Throwing out perfectly good food is a sin, and I didn’t pay $3.99 per pound for organic leeks to be tossing half of them in the trash. You can also add a quarter-cup of white wine. Transfer half the leeks to … You may remember her from such places as Food52, Eater, Food Network, VH1, and many other quirky corners of the food Internet. https://www.ediblecommunities.com/recipes/what-we-are-cooking-leeks The 20 Best ALDI Finds for November Are All About Cookies & Thanksgiving. Drop in a piece of leek, and when it bubbles … Yet our personal favorite way to use leek greens is to turn them into leek powder. Braising is cooking in water. Depends on my mood. Place chopped leeks in a salad spinner, rinsing with water, and spinning dry. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/215506/simple-and-delicious-beet-greens When it’s time to make dinner, my recipe of choice is “throw something together with whatever crap I have in the house.”. Cooking without a recipe can be wild and reckless. But more importantly, leek greens are much more than “perfectly good food”: Prepared well, they’re utterly spectacular. Allison Robicelli is a D-list celebrity-chef chef, author, humorist, entrepreneur, general polymath, and all-around good time. When the leeks are golden, spoon some out onto a plate to use for garnish. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes, flipping half way through. Greens work well featured in main dishes as well as healthy sides. Read the Dark green tops of leeks- Can they be used in stock? I don’t make a lot of risotto because, with two adolescent boys living in the house, the hours between 3 and 8 p.m. are a nightmarish hellscape where my biggest priority is to make it to bedtime without someone requiring stitches. Use a sieve to remove the floating leek greens from the water, give them a good shake, and throw them in the pan with a hefty pinch of kosher salt. It’s yours. Pat dry. Put 3 quarts of water in the pan and add two sliced carrots, one sliced celery stalk, a bunch of parsley and some peppercorns. Leek tops should be dark green and firm, not limp or dried out. This recipe uses the dark green leek tops that are often discarded after prepping leeks for other recipes. Chop the green part of each leek stalk into 1/2 inch rounds. The bulb ends should have fringes of small crisp-looking roots still attached; avoid split or soft bulbs, or those with large blemishes. Method: * Set the oven to 250 degrees Celsius (482 Fahrenheit) * Peel the potatoes, cut them into small pieces, and boil them for 10 minutes. I do have the time to dump the rice, wine, and stock into the pan before walking away, which is what I did. Add leek greens to potatoes as you boil them; this is especially effective if you’re making leek and potato soup. Trim leeks of outer layer and stems. Chop white and tender green parts into 1/2-inch chunks (discard tough gray-green parts). Wine Pairing Weekend & Other Wine Pairing Events. Transfer leeks into a baking side, sprinkling with 1/2 tsp sea salt, and tossing with 1 tbsp avocado oil. How to Clean Leeks . You can use the dark … Spring greens & gammon soup 8 ratings 4.5 out of 5 star rating This rustic broth is deliciously meaty and worth cooking a gammon for, or using up leftover ham But they can also be cooked and featured as a vegetable in their own right (which is more common in European cooking); roasted leeks and braised leeks are terrific. This isn’t my recipe anymore. But just like mac and cheese or potato salad, this is merely greatness upon which more greatness can be built. A wide range of healthy greens recipes. Leeks can be sautéed, roasted, steamed, stir-fried and just plain fried (sometimes fancy restaurants top dishes with thinly slivered and quickly fried crispy leeks). Soak leeks in a large bowl of … Includes ideas for cooking with greens as well as ways to use them raw. She is the author of the critically acclaimed cookbook/memoir Robicelli's: A Love Story, With Cupcakes, which has been called one of the funniest food-related books of all time. Thinly slice the entire leek, including the dark green stems. We are experiencing an error, please try again. Can’t find shredded Gouda? Fan open the leaves to … Add bacon, leave out the eggs, sprinkle with crushed-up potato chips—throw caution to the wind and follow your heart. Add the leeks and butter to a medium stock pot. One particular favorite non-recipe in my household is a dish that I’ve come to refer to as “That Thing With the Leeks.” It all started with, naturally, a bunch of large leeks, one of my favorite vegetables to buy and then forget about until I find them liquefied in the bottom of my produce drawer. No special prep, no massaging them with salt, no soaking them in an excessively complicated brine. While leeks are cooking, wash celery and potatoes. You’d never know this if you blindly subscribe to the fake leek news, perpetuated by years of recipes, which contends that they’re “too tough to eat.” Know what easily fixes that problem? https://www.saveur.com/grilled-greens-and-leek-tops-chile-garlic-sauce-recipe Despite their tough reputation, leek greens soften quite readily if your oil is hot enough. Begin cooking leek greens: Pour excess bacon grease out of the skillet, but leave a bit! Just cook the damn things. Leaving a bit of bacon grease in the pan for sautéing the leeks helps add additional flavor. Preparation. Not only are they freaking banging when pan fried, but they can be used to infuse fish and other seafood with delicate, oniony flavor. I’ve done this with plain white rice, rinsed sushi rice, and even orzo, and it’s been pretty damn solid every time. The first time I made soupy leek rice (recipe below), I slowly cooked the leeks with a good amount of butter; the next time I braised them in olive oil. Once I threw a few tablespoons of schmaltz in there, and another time I started it off by rendering bacon fat in the pan, reserving the meat to crumble over the top. Sauté over medium heat for five or so minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until over medium until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the leek greens as you simmer a stock (you can even freeze them before doing so). This leafy green stands up well to both slow and quick cooking methods without becoming overly soft or mushy. Stir well, then cover and cook for five minutes. Transfer fried leeks to a plate and sprinkle with salt. Cut the remaining part of the leek in half, lengthwise and rinse under cold running water, fanning the leek layers to remove any trapped dirt. Once hot, place the leeks in the oven to cook for 15-20 minutes until crispy and browned. * Line the pie-tray with the tart bottom, and poke holes in the bottom with a fork. To make the crisp green leek tops, heat a small saucepan with a good glug of oil over a medium-high heat. Cut off the root end of the white bulb and the very dark green ends. Cut four leeks in half lengthwise and add them to the pan. Let simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until leeks are cooked down and tender. Dunk the greens in a water bath, drain, and spin dry in a salad spinner. No risotto on hand? Cooking. Leek greens are quickly becoming my favorite part of the leek. I’m sure that you’ve probably eaten countless leeks in your life, yet if you were asked to describe their flavor, you’d struggle, thanks to their perpetual second-banana status. 6 (plus two) Uses for Leek Greens. While that's going, split the leek whites in half lengthwise, then prep exactly the same way as you did with the greens. All of these were, in their own special way, great decisions, confirming the fact that I am a genius. Cooking methods remain the same regardless of the type or color of your kale. Throw them into the pan to soften for few minutes before throwing the white parts in. I have no time to be standing by the stove, gingerly stirring while adding small ladles of white wine and fresh stock. Heat a large stock pot and add 1/4 cup water. Anything can be questioned. STEP 2: Wash the Dark Green Leaves Cleaning is an essential part of cooking with leeks since dirt gets into the crevices of the leaves quite easily. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, slice them crosswise into bite-sized pieces. ; Cut the leek lengthwise into quarters through the green end. Cut a slit about 2 inches through the dark greens leaves, from when the dark green parts start to turn light green. I like leaving them a bit runny, scooping up my portion the moment it comes out from the broiler and violently stirring them into the non-risotto, where they cook into a creamy sauce. How do you make Sautéed Leek Greens with Apples and Bacon Add bacon to a large sauté pan over high heat. Bold, semifirm cheeses, like Asiago or mild cheddar, work well, as do chopped-up Babybel cheeses—another item I don’t remember ever buying but for some reason is always in my house. I have no recollection of ever buying the shredded Gouda, no idea what I had intended to do with it, but it was there and needed something to do. Rules can be broken. Greens. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are falling apart, 10-15 minutes. Next to go into the pan was half a bag of Arborio rice I found hiding behind my secret Oreo stash. Braised Moroccan Chicken Thighs with Oregon Pinot #winophiles, Easy Bibimbap Recipe with Cab Franc Wine Pairing #winePW. Cut the top off the leek. Join the discussion today. 8 Easy Ways to Make Boxed Mac & Cheese Taste Like You Made It from Scratch + You should buy it. Privacy Policy. You can bastardize things you’ve already tried, amalgamate dishes you love into irresistible culinary monstrosities, turn the mundane into something great. Most recipes tell you to cut off the green tops and throw them away, an act which is verboten in my teeny, tiny kitchen. The latest in food culture, cooking, and more. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch half-moons. Kale comes in a variety of forms, from heavily ruffled varieties to large, bumpy leaves with a deep green color. Once the rice had absorbed all the liquid in the pan, in went a bag of shredded gouda. Sometimes I let the pan sit out for 10 minutes or so, allowing the dish to set up like a rice cake, letting the eggs gently heat through til firm and jammy. But more importantly, leek greens are much more than “perfectly good food”: Prepared well, they’re utterly spectacular. It’s not pretty, but scooped into a bowl and eaten in front of the television, this non-recipe hits all the right notes. Discard before serving; the … 4 cups (or more) vegetable broth 1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces), trimmed, center stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups packed) Return pot to medium-high heat and melt butter. In addition to creating an awesome versatile seasoning powder, it is a very compact and efficient way to preserve leek greens … Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet on medium high, then add the sliced leek greens. Once you get the basic gist of it, you’re free to alter the dish as you wish. Add in leek greens and stir, frying until golden and crispy, about 6 minutes. https://www.perfectlyproduce.com/recipe-sauteed-leek-greens You’d never know this if you blindly subscribe to the fake leek news, perpetuated by years of recipes, which contends that they’re “too tough to eat.” Know what easily fixes that problem? Copyright 2020 - Taste, A Division of Penguin Random House LLC. As fate would have it, it was exactly what the dish needed—adding a little bit of nuttiness to make an otherwise mellow dish feel a bit more alive. Add leeks and cover with tight fitting lid. Discard or save the dark-green trimmed leaves to flavor stock when included in a bouquet garni, or blanch and used as a wrapper for any variety of fillings. Trim off and discard any dried out or browned ends of the leek greens. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. You can slip in some eggs, à la shakshuka. Cooking. “I’m sure that you’ve probably eaten countless leeks in your life, yet if you were asked to describe their flavor, you’d struggle.”. You will need a large pan that can hold the whole leeks. discussion from the Chowhound Home Cooking food community. I’ve even doubled the stock, doubled the leeks and made this a soup. Your email address will not be published. To alter the dish as you wish in half lengthwise and add to... 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