OUR
FAVOURITE
RECIPES
TAKEN FROM
A LITTLE LEEK SHOW
BY CARLA PHILLIPS
LEEK AND POTATO SOUP
Ingredients
250g leeks
500g potatoes
60g butter
250ml milk
1 litre of vegetable stock
A branch of thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme)
Garnish: Cream or soured cream or creme fraiche, fresh chopped parsley
1. Peel and chop the potatoes into small chunks. Chop the leeks into small pieces.
2. In a large saucepan melt the butter, then add the leeks, potatoes and thyme.
3. Cook over a low fire until the vegetables are well coated with butter.
4. Add the vegetable stock, then bring the soup to the boil.
5. Reduce the heat, then simmer, covered for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are softly tender, remove from fire.
6. Put the soup into a blender or processor.
7. When pureed, return to the saucepan, add the milk and heat gently.
8. When hot, adjust the seasoning, then serve with a dollop of cream and a sprinkling of parsley.
STEAMED LEEKS WITH CREAM SAUCE
Ingredients
4 leeks
250ml milk
50g butter
40g flour
Salt and white pepper to taste
1. Clean the leeks thoroughly and cut them into large chunks (10-15mm).
2. Place them in the top of a steamer over boiling water, cover and steam until tender (approx. 8-10 minutes).
3. Make the sauce by placing the milk, butter and flour in a saucepan, whisking them together over a hot flame.
4. When the mixture is thick and just starting to bubble, lower the heat, stir a little longer, then season to taste.
5. Place the cooked leeks in a serving dish, and add the sauce.
6. Place into a warmish (not hot) oven for 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavours to amalgmate.
7. As an option, grate cheese onto this dish (parmesan, gruyere, cheddar) then flash it under the grill.
CLASSIC LEEK SALAD
Ingredients
4 leeks
100ml olive oil
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1 crushed clove of garlic
A handful of parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Steam the cleaned leeks until tender.
2. Make a vinaigrette by stirring the garlic and vinegar into the mustard.
3. Gradually whisk in the oil, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Drain the steamed leeks well and place them in a serving dish.
5. Cover them with the vinaigrette, then the chopped parsley.
6. Chill well before serving.
POTAGE BONNE FEMME
Ingredients
1 large leek
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
1 medium turnip
1 large potato
500g butter
Bouquet-garni: A bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of marjoram, a little parsley
Cream
Salt and pepper
1. Chop the leek and onion into small chunks.
2. Peel and chop the turnip, potato and carrot into small bits.
3. Heat a heavy bottomed casserole over medium heat, then stir in the onions.
4. When the onions start to steam, add the rest of the vegetables and the butter.
5. Stir well and when the vegetables are all coated with butter add water to cover, and the bouquet garni.
6. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until the veg. is tender.
7. Remove from the heat, remove the bouquet garni, then blend or put through a processor.
8. Season to taste, reheat and serve with a dollop of cream.
LEEKS WITH RED WINE AND OLIVES
Ingredients
4 leeks
1 tablespoon of olive oil
100ml of red wine
A handful of black olives, stoned and roughly chopped
A pinch of oregano
1. Cut the cleaned leeks into chunks of about 5mm.
2. Heat a heavy bottomed caserole on a medium flame.
3. Throw in the leeks and olive oil at the same time.
4. Stir well, and when the white bits of the leek are just starting to colour, add the wine.
5. Stir in the oregano.
6. Reduce the heat, cover the casserole and cook for 5-7 minutes.
7. If the leeks stick to the bottom add a little water.
8. Last of all, stir in the olives and any seasoning (salt & pepper) which you think necessary.
Optional: You can add a little tomato puree or passata with the wine.
LEEK AND POTATO TORTILLA
Ingredients
4 leeks (light parts only)
500g potatoes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 eggs
Salt and pepper
1. Peel and parboil the potatoes for 8 minutes, then slice them into 2cm chunks.
2. Cut the leeks into 2mm slices.
3. Heat a heavy bottomed frying pan well, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Stir in the leeks, and allow them to cook, well coated, for a minute.
5. Add the sliced potatoes.
6. Reduce the heat under the pan, stir occasionally and cook until the leeks and potatoes are tender.
7. Remove from the heat, save the pan.
8. In a largeish mixing bowl, beat the eggs well.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Add the leeks and potatoes to the eggs.
11. Heat the frying pan once more, then add the remaining olive oil.
12. When it's hot, stir in the egg-leek-potato mixture.
13. Reduce the heat, cover, then leave for 15-20 minutes, until it's solid everywhere except the top middle.
14. Then, remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.
15. Slide the mixture onto a baking sheet.
16. Reverse this back into the frying pan (which you may have to brush with oil).
17. Cook until it's completely set.
18. Serve hot or cold.
LEEKS WITH ALLSPICE, PINE NUTS, TOMATOES AND CURRANTS
Ingredients
4 leeks
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 small tin (120g) of tomatoes
1 tablespoon of pine nuts
1 tablespoon of currants
Salt and pepper
1. Chop the leeks into 3mm chunks.
2. Heat a heavy bottomed casserole over a medium flame, and lightly toast the pine nuts.
3. When they start to colour, remove from the heat and set them aside in a separate dish.
4. Return the casserole to the fire, and stir in the leeks and olive oil.
5. When the leeks start to colour add the ground allspice, stirring well.
6. Then add the tomatoes.
7. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Then stir in the currants and pine nuts.
9. Cook for another couple of minutes, until the leeks are tender, then season to taste.
Optional: When cold, this is an excellent salad or cold starter with the addition of a very little red wine vinegar.
ROASTED LEEKS AND POTATOES
Ingredients
4 leeks
4 medium to large potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1. Heat your oven to a highish temperature (200c).
2. Cut the cleaned leeks into 3-4 cm chunks.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks roughly the same size.
4. Oil a roasting tin with a brush dipped into the oil.
5. Place the leeks and potatoes in a large mixing bowl, mixing in enough oil to coat them all well.
6. Pour them into the roasting tin and slide them onto a high tray.
7. Cook without stirring for 20 minutes.
8. Lower the heat to 180c, mix the vegetables about and cook for another 20 minutes.
9. Turn off the oven.
10. Leave in a barely warm oven for 10 minutes, before eating.
LEEKS WITH OLIVE OIL, FENNEL SEEDS, LEMON
Ingredients
4 leeks
1 tablespoon of Olive oil
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1. Cut the cleaned leeks into 3mm pieces (discard the dark green bits).
2. Heat a heavy bottomed casserole over a medium flame.
3. Add the leeks and olive oil at the same time.
4. Stir fry these ingredients briefly, then add the fennel seeds and a little salt and pepper.
5. When the leeks start to colour, reduce the heat and add the lemon juice.
6. Cover well and leave to simmer for 5 minutes, until the leeks are tender.
7. Add a little water if the leeks stick.
Optional: You can substitute a lime for the lemon in this recipe, but you will definitely need additional water.
FLAMICHE (LEEK TART, FLEMISH STYLE)
Ingredients
1.5kg leeks (light parts)
60g butter
2 eggs
70cl cream
100g gruyere, grated
Shortcrust;
140g flour
105g butter
3 tablespoons of water
27cm tart pan
1. Prepare the shortcrust pastry and leave it to chill for half an hour.
2. Roll it out thinly and transfer it to the tin.
3. Chill for at least half an hour.
4. Pre-heat the oven to hot (220c).
5. Chop the leeks into fine slices.
6. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, and stir in the leeks and butter.
7. Lower the heat and cook the leeks, covered until the leeks are very soft, but not browned.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Remove from fire.
10. Mix the eggs and cream until blended, then add the cheese.
11. Add the leeks, then pour the mixture into the tart shell.
12. Bake for 25 minutes at the high temperature, then lower the heat to 180c and bake for another 15 minutes.
13. Serve warm at room temperature.
Optional: You can add 100 grams of raw ham (Parma, Bayonne, Serrano or Westphalian) to the mixture before you bake it.
For more fantastic leek recipes