Comments on: What Can I Make With Leeks?

By: Valerie Bright

Valerie Bright — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:33:53 +0000

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

By: Josefina Argüello

Josefina Argüello — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:11:06 +0000

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.

By: Tribal Tattoos

Tribal Tattoos — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:27:26 +0000

I have to agree with Ina and try that recipe myself. It sounds delicious! Have you ever tried wild ramps from the Appalachian mountains?

By: eatandstay.com

eatandstay.com — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:07:33 +0000

Very simple, but my favourite leek recipe is cooked leeks, cooked potatoes, serve with olive oil, salt and grated cheese.

By: sandy

sandy — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 12:08:15 +0000

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

By: andrewsmith

andrewsmith — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 05:26:09 +0000

i like Ina’s recipe. my wife has prepared the same. thanks.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 06:35:47 +0000

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.

By: Frank Zweegers

Frank Zweegers — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:10:48 +0000

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

By: Maris

Maris — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:43:56 +0000

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.

By: Sarcina

Sarcina — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:20:01 +0000

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