Persephone Farm

Sustainably Grown Vegetables & Flowers – Indianola, Washington

leeks

Caramelized Leeks

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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
2 medium leeks
½ tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 knob of butter
Chopped parsley

Instructions:

  • Trim off the root and top edges of the leeks, leaving the green part intact. Split lengthwise and wash each layer very thoroughly (leeks can be quite gritty if not thoroughly washed.)
  • Heat the olive oil and butter together over gentle heat; when melted and blended add the leeks and toss well. Cook slowly for about ten minutes or until the leeks start to soften.
  • Sprinkle over the sugar and mix once the sugar starts to melt; continue to cook for about 15-20 minutes, adding a small amount of hot water if the mixture starts to stick.
  • The oriental origin of this recipe makers it ideal to serve with egg noodles. The leeks can be served either over a bed of noodles and garnished with the parsley, or the ingredients can be mixed together.

Source: Riverford Organic Vegetables

Leek Bread Pudding

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Adapted by the New York Times from “Ad Hoc at Home” by Thomas Keller (Artisan, 2009)

Time: 2 1/2 hours (1 hour for preparation and 1 1/2 hours for baking)

2 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and rinsed
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
12 cups 1-inch-cubed crustless brioche or Pullman loaf
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 large eggs
3 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup shredded Comté or Emmenthaler cheese.

  1. Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, drain excess water from leeks, and add to pan. Season with salt, and sauté until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft, about 30 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While leeks are cooking, spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until dry and pale gold, about 20 minutes, turning pan about halfway through. Transfer to a large bowl, leaving the oven on.
  3. Add leeks, chives and thyme to the bowl of bread; toss well. In another large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then whisk in milk, cream, a generous pinch of salt, pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg.
  4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese in bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spread 1/2 of bread mixture in pan, and sprinkle with another 1/4 cup cheese. Spread remaining bread mixture in pan, and sprinkle with another 1/4 cup cheese. Pour in enough milk mixture to cover bread, and gently press on bread so milk soaks in. Let rest 15 minutes.
  5. Add remaining milk mixture, letting some bread cubes protrude. Sprinkle with salt and remaining cheese. Bake until pudding is set and top is brown and bubbling, about 1 1/2 hours. Serve hot.

Yield: 12 servings as a side dish.

Potato and Leek Soup

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A bounty of beautiful leeks were in subscriber’s boxes last Wednesday. Before becoming a subscriber last year I don’t recall ever having fresh leeks in our fridge. This year, I’ve vowed to be more ambitious with the veg, not just stir fries. With the wet, chilly weather we’ve been having it seemed appropriate to try making soup. I know, potato leek soup, that sounds like winter comfort food. Well, it’s spring in western washington, soup is on! So in the Central Market parking lot, a quick iPhone google turned up this winner:

Potato and Leek Soup by Emeril Lagasse
82 reviews, 5 stars, it must be good. And it was. I followed the recipe, but many reviewers made substitutions and still loved the results. We still have leeks left to stir fry, I think a quiche is too advanced for this cook. I must admit this is the first (but not the last) time I’ve made soup that didn’t involve opening a can.

~Leslie (CSA Subscriber)

Lettuce and Tarragon Soup

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6 servings

2 medium leeks (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

4 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 cups homemade, or canned, low-sodium chicken stock, or golden vegetable stock

About 1 tps salt, less if using canned stock

1 medium head romaine lettuce, with the outer, deep green leaves

1/4 cup fresh French tarragon leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Optional garnish: creme fraiche or sour cream, and heavy cream

1-Cut off and discard tops of leeks at point where they turn from light to dark green. Split rest lengthwise in half, keeping roots attached so the layers won’t fall apart. Wash thoroughly. Thinly slice into half circles and discard roots. Melt butter in a large (4 quart) saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes.  Add stock and salt (omit if using canned stock) and simmer. Turn heat to low and cover, and cook at a bubbling simmer for 15 minutes to further soften leeks. (The soup may be made up to this point up to two days ahead and stored covered in refrigerator.)

2–Slice whole head of romaine lettuce crosswise into one-inch thick strips (you don’t need to separate the leaves first) and discard the base. Wash and drain the lettuce. Stir the lettuce into the soup, increase the heat to medium, and cook uncovered until the lettuce is wilted and softened, about 5 minutes.

3–Stir in the tarragon leaves. Put half of the soup in an electric blender (you can use a food processor but the soup won’t be as smooth). Holding down the lid, turn blender on to low, then gradually increase to high until soup is very smooth. Pour the pureed soup into a second saucepan and repeat with the remaining soup. Gently reheat all the soup, tasting and seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls.

4–If you wish to garnish with cream, vigerously stir the creme fraiche with a teaspoon and thin it with cream until it falls off the spoon in a thick stream. Hold a spoonful of the cream about 6 inches above the bowl and let it fall in a circular or zigzag pattern onto the soup.

(Herb substitutions–Use 1 cup chervil, gently packed, or two Tbs. lovage leaves in place of the tarragon.)

Leek and Goat Cheese Quiche

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The center of the quiche will be surprisingly soft when it comes out of the oven, but the filling will continue to set (and sink somewhat) as it cools. If the pie shell has been previously baked and cooled, place it in the preheating oven for about five minutes to warm it, taking care it does not burn. Because ingredients in the variations that follow are bulkier, the amount of custard mixture has been reduced to prevent overflowing the crust. Be sure to wash the leeks thoroughly to remove any grit.

2 medium leeks–washed and cut into 2-inch dice (about 2 cups)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

pinch fresh grated nutmeg

4 oz. mild goat cheese broken into 1/2-inch pieces

1 nine-inch partially baked pie shell (warm) baked until light golden brown, 5-6 minutes

1–Adjust oven rack to center position and heat to 375 degrees. Saute’ white leek parts in butter over medium heat until soft; 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk all remaining ingredients, except goat cheese, in medium bowl

2–Spread goat cheese and leeks evenly over bottom of the warm pie shell and set shell on oven rack. Pour in custard mixture to 1/2-inch below crust rim. Bake until lightly golden brown and a knife blade inserted about one inch from the edge comes out clean. Center should feel set, but soft like gelatin, 32-35 minutes. Transfer quiche to rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temp.

Serves 8