Leeks

Working in the restaurant business can spoil you. In both good and bad ways. From job to job the ingredients change, the prep is different, menus shift seasonally or they don't, cuisine Nationalities vary and based on when your shift is you may or may not watch certain menu items being made.

At Citizen Cake we coined the phrase "tag-team" baking because in a bakery it's rare one person creates an item. At Bouchon because the pastry station was also the garde manger area, and because we had service from 11:30 am-2 am straight through, my shift started in the early am and I oversaw much of the daily mis-en-place preparation. It was my fun job to taste the salt cod brandade every day at 6am.

Not what breakfast should taste like. Least of all to an American pastry chef.

But for half of the year I was happily the steamed leek taster. We served leeks vinaigrette when in season and I have never forgotten the pleasure of eating  it. The melt-in-your-mouth quality. The faint perfume of this elegant onion relative sumptuously petting your tongue. The earthy French je ne sais quois.

It being Spring and all I have been attempting leek after leek preparation to satisfy this deep seated 10 year obsession and desire. Frustratingly I have not been able to mimic a steamed leek worth eating or talking about.

Until Now.

SEXY SUCCULENT SENSUOUS LEEKS

Preheat oven to 400-425F
Pick out a a reasonably sized enamel cast iron baking vessel/skillet
Choose 6-8 small or medium sized leeks, depending on the size of leeks and pan
Cut rooty bottom and green leaves off
Make one sharp decisive slit about 2 inches above bottom, down middle of leek, keeping the white part intact
Fill bowl with cold water, toss in prepped leeks
Treat the water spout like a mini waterfall and wash leeks excitedly so as to remove all the sand hiding in the folds of the leaves
Change water a few times, making sure leeks are clean
Remove one outer layer of skin
Splash a generous helping of pure olive oil in baking vessel
Arrange leeks top to bottom, sleep-over style
Splash more oil over top being intentional about coating leeks
Turn these babies over like logs to saturate them if you wish
Toss on a table spoon or two of kosher salt
Place in oven with an easily removable lid {I used an aluminum pizza pan}
Set first timer for about 20 minutes, give or take a long distance phonecall
When timer goes off, remove lid and very gently turn relaxed leeks over to their other side                         
Set second timer for 20 minutes
Repeat instruction
When leeks are starting to look translucent remove lid and cook for another 10 minutes

Olive oil braised leeks keep well in their own oil refrigerated after coming to room temperature. I haven't been able to hold onto them for more than a week, but I am sure they would keep for at least two. The extra oil is great for dressing whatever counterpart you've chosen for the languid leek. Some of my combinations this week have included crepinettes, porcini pasta and farro.

After a cold wet winter treat yourself to a simple supple sensuous leek preparation like no other...

 

Comments

[Kudzu]

Thanks for this seductive recipe! I can't wait to try some relaxed leeks, probably my favorite starter in those little cheap French restaurants way over on the West Side of Manhattan in the old days.

[sam]

ok - i have to try this before the end of the leek season. Check out pastry chef in the making, "Sweet Napa," who was coincidentally on a Thomas Keller leek bender yesterday too!

http://www.sweetnapa.com/2006/04/05/make-this-quiche.html

[juliebean]

One word: YUM!! Very, very impressive!!!

[lee]

Working on a farm can spoil you too. It was ten years ago that I knew I had a problem. My roomates at the time told me that if I brought home any more leeks I'd have to find a new place to live. But, but... I stuttered they're FREE and so good and so expensive to buy at the store!

[Brett]

Brandade for breakfast? I'll take a glass of Cava with that, please. And a side of anchovies on toasted bread rubbed with tomato.

Your leek preparation sounds simply scrumptious.

[cookiecrumb]

(You would know that previous remark was from Brett even if he didn't leave his name.)

[Bea at La Tartine Gourmande]

miam, I will keep this recipe just handy as I have 4 nice young leeks in my fridge!

[San Francisco Photorama]

Yum, I love leeks!!!

[Ivonne]

Those are some sexy leeks to be sure!

While I missed the chance to go to Citizen Cake when I was in San Francisco last summer, I did go to Bouchon ... lovely!

[shauna]

I'm so excited to try this sensuous recipe, Shuna. This year, I learned to appreciate leeks. And I've been trying to appreciate them any way I can!

[Tea]

I tried out your braised leek recipe earlier this week and I am a convert. They are great! I served them drizzled with a vinaigrette with fresh thyme, which was lovely (I'm curious how it might be with tarragon). And I confess to nibbling on the caramelized bits scraped off the baking dish, which had the most intense and amazing leek flavor I have every tasted in my life. Wonderful. Thank you.

[marjolein]

Hi,
Why is leek so expensive in the U.S.? I grew up in Holland, where it is a very regular staple in everyone's diet...and cheap. Is it being imported? I live in Texas now, and a bunch (3 stalks) costs $2.99 at the least!

[shuna fish lydon]

Leeks tend to be expensive in the US because they are considered "European." If you can find a farmer who grows them you will get them for a lower cost.

But, especially with this preparation-- you get to eat almost the whole stalk, so in this way it can "bring the cost down."