What Can I Make With Leeks?
Leeks have always held a bit of mystic for me. I see them in the produce department of the grocery store, stop to admire them, and then walk right by. I’m a little intimidated by them.
Well, that has come to an end officially starting now, because I actually broke down and bought a bunch. Now what do I make with them?
Leeks are like green onions on steroids. They smell like green onions, but more mild. I talked to the produce manager and she said to choose leeks that have not formed a big bulb and do not have a hard “stalk” thing in the middle of the green tops as these would have a more pungent taste.
So, I chose a nice straight leek that felt fresh and had no tough stalk in the middle. She also told me to store it in the fridge until I was ready to use it, being sure to leave it as is – not trimming it or cutting it – and wrapping it in plastic because leeks will smell up the refrigerator and the food in it if they are left unwrapped.
Now that I have actually purchased leeks, I’m wondering what I should do with it? I know I could probably use it in anything that I would use an onion in, but I’d like to try something a bit different. I’ve heard of Leek Soup, and I’m wondering if anyone has a good tried-and-true recipe for it.
I’d love to hear your ideas!
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November 11th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
I have never purchased or cooked with leeks. I have heard the same thing they are like green onions on steroids. Leek soup though, that dont sound too great. Try maybe using them as a stuffing for some beef or chicken.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I make a potato leek soup. Here’s the recipe.
Potato Leak Soup
4 to 5 stalks of leak, cleaned and sliced
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
2 chicken bullion cubes
Water
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
Saute the onion in the butter until tender. Add the leaks and potatoes and cover with water. Add bullion and cook until everything is tender. Blend soup until it is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:20 am
Leeks are something I’ve always been curious about too actually. I have never gotten around to using them though. You can probably find some great recipes on the Food Network website, I get a lot of mine from there, people can rate recipes once they’ve made at home, so that makes it easier to find ones worth making. Once you make something I hope you post about it, I don’t think I’ve ever actually had leeks. Huh.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:07 am
Here’s how you can make cheesy leek and mustard soup… Saute leeks, onion, potato and carrot in butter or margarine and olive oil for 10 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Mix mustard powder and cornstarch with 1/2 cup water to make a thin paste. Season a vegetable mixture with salt and pepper and sugar. Stir in the mustard-water mixture and 5 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in a bouillon cube, reduce heat and simmer for about one hour, until reduced by half. Using a hand blender or upright blender, puree mixture until frothy but not completely smooth. Return this to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir in some heavy cream, Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses. Heat until cheeses melt, do not boil. Serve hot. Delicious!
January 10th, 2010 at 3:54 am
Leeks are great in stews. Use them instead of onions. They also go really well in soups.
February 22nd, 2010 at 6:20 am
Leeks are actually pretty tasty and healthy. You can eat it uncooked with cheese and you can make a lot of delicious salads. Be careful about the breath after
March 24th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Good old leek soup is one option to try, or you can use them in stir-fried dishes with or without an onion. don’t keep them too long in the fridge for they turn yellow in less than four days(based on my experience that is). You could also use them as flavor enhancer or garnishing for rice dishes like rice pilaf.
April 5th, 2010 at 4:10 am
A friend of mine once made a sauce of leeks. I can’t remember the recipe, but it was with yoghurt, mayonaise and spices.
ps. Like your description: Leeks are like green onions on steroids. Hahaha
April 16th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
I just moved into a home that has a garden with a big patch of leeks in it! I couldn’t figure out what they were at first because I’ve never seen them growing before. They definitely smell like onions. The potato soup recipe Ina posted sounds great. I’ve had leek and potato soup and it’s wonderful.
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:26 pm
i like Ina’s recipe. my wife has prepared the same. thanks.
April 24th, 2010 at 5:08 am
Like you I’ve passed by them hundreds of times. I’ve always just assume you’d use them like green onions but they would be stronger tasting. I’ve heard of, but never tasted leak soup. I like onion soup…so, might be worth a try. Good luck with our recipes.
Sandy
May 18th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Very simple, but my favourite leek recipe is cooked leeks, cooked potatoes, serve with olive oil, salt and grated cheese.
May 31st, 2010 at 4:27 pm
I have to agree with Ina and try that recipe myself. It sounds delicious! Have you ever tried wild ramps from the Appalachian mountains?
June 23rd, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Hope you like it, this is a Recipe from Mexico: Cheddar, Bacon and Leek Quesadillas with Tomatillo Salsa Recipe:
Ingredients:
Tomatillo Salsa:
1/4 pound fresh green tomatillos, husked
1 small red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoons chopped red onions
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 bunch of cilantro, thick stems removed, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Quesadillas:
8 strips bacon, crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
2 small leeks (white and light green parts only), cleaned, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon butter, unsalted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack/Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced pickled jalapenos (optional)
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Methods/Steps:
Tomatillo Salsa: Husk the tomatillos and blanch them in boiling water for 15 seconds (only). Immerse them in a bowl with ice water to cool them. Remove the core from each tomatillo. Puree tomatillos in a food processor. Roast the peppers over a flame or broil in the oven until charred. Put into a paper bag for 5 minutes then peel off the charred skin and remove seeds and stem. In the food processor, add bell pepper, garlic, chopped red onions, seeded serrano chile, lime juice, stemmed cilantro, sugar and salt. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl with a small spoon for serving, and garnish with some cilantro.
Bake Bacon for Quesadillas: Place cooling rack over a sheet pan lined with foil. Lay bacon strips on cooling rack and bake for 10 minutes, until crisp. Cool slightly and cut bacon into 1/2 inch strips.
Clean Leeks: Keeping root on, split lengthwise and cut in half, then fan out in a bowl of water to remove sand. Stack the layers and cut into long strips.
Sauté Leeks: Melt butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and salt; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Quesadilla Filling: Mix together the bacon, grated cheese, pickled jalapeno, and cooled leeks.
Make Quesadillas: Add 1 Tablespoon of canola oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Lay a tortilla flat in the pan. Place 1/4 cup of bacon/cheese filling on one side of the tortilla and then fold in half. Cook for a few minutes until golden, then turn and cook until toasty on the other side. Remove from heat. Repeat until all ingredients have been used.
Serve: Cut each quesadilla into 4 pieces, and serve with tomatillo salsa.
June 24th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
My husband and I like to use leeks when making our green juice drinks as they can add some really healthy nutrients and a little zing too. We use a juicer like the kind you can find at brevillejuice.com which eats them up in no time. Note: Don’t juice the upper green part of the leek though. It is poisonous and not good for you.
-Val