Category: Leeks

This is a lovely variation on the classic potato leek soup that is blended and sometimes served cold. Serve this one piping hot with some croutons and parsley as garnish. You can also omit the bacon and use a vegetable stock if you'd like. ... Read more »

Quinoa cooks quickly, has a pleasantly nutty taste and is nutritious. If you're in a rush and have random bits of vegetables on hand, even just a carrot and stalk of celery, you can have this on the table in 25 minutes. Round it out with a fried egg or any protein you'd like and/or a salad. You can easily scale this up and the ratio of quinoa to water is one to one and you can use whatever vegetables and/or meats you'd like so it's more of a set of guidelines than a recipe.... Read more »

This is so delicious and comes together quickly if you have cooked (or canned beans). It's very good with home-cooked beans because you use some of the bean cooking liquid which makes for a flavorful, light stew.  ... Read more »

Many of my favorite dishes are created when I'm pressed for time. Creativity--what I sometimes call the Why Not? principle--thrives in these instances. Substitute whatever bits of vegetables you need to use up.   The sauce I used here is my Makhani Curry sauce recipe which makes more than you need for one meal so I often have some in the freezer. It was spectacular on the rice. You could alternatively use any leftover dal thinned out a bit or curry or the simplest tomato sauce or a ragout of some kind. Or use a bottled curry sauce.   The pilaf method of cooking the rice--toasting rice with aromatics, then adding liquid--works particularly well here. And lots of toasty nuts are key!  ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_18042" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This was the soup on day two or three, warmed up and fancified with an egg, for lunch.[/caption] I buy a bunch of cilantro and parsley every week (unless I have enough parsley in my garden) and when I'm in a hurry I twist off however many leaves I want from the bunch for whatever it is I'm making. Eventually I'm left with a bunch of stems and a few straggling leaves. I used an entire bunch of parsley and cilantro stems (finely chopped) in this soup and I think it's what made it particularly good. So use those stems! I'm sure they'd be good in most any soup, just chop finely.   This makes a lot of soup and it is even better the next day or the next.   You can also serve it over toasted bread rubbed with garlic.... Read more »

Italians are great at combining carbs! The leeks are a bit inauthentic (as is the cheese on half the pizza but my boys love cheese) but I think the leeks add flavor and a little moisture and help the potatoes turn out tender and silky.... Read more »

In the spring farmers markets and CSA shares in the Pacific Northwest feature lots of alliums like green or new garlic, garlic scapes, spring onions, and leeks. You can mix and match the garlic and onion and ratios thereof based on what you have. It's very forgiving. The combination of these alliums, gently cooked with some thyme and/or sage and then layered with stale bread, broth and a bit of cheese is amazing. You can add a few handfuls of leafy greens if you have them. This is very similar to this kale panade and this chard and onion panade. ... Read more »

My CSA (farm share) includes tiny, tender pea shoots in the spring. I've never seen such small ones at the market. You can use any really tender green or herb for this dish, such as young spinach or mustard greens or mizuna. If you're using the larger pea shoots typically seen at farmers markets be sure to discard any tough stems.... Read more »

Spaghetti squash is a light and mildly flavored squash. It's elevated here by leeks, a little hot pepper and tomatoes, a little cheese and breadcrumbs for a lovely gratin.... Read more »

The combination of beans stewed with herbs and whatever vegetables you have on hand, makes for a lovely ragout that's particularly delicious over creamy polenta. This version employs cranberry beans, leeks, carrots, celery, thyme and parsley.  ... Read more »

The earthy and sweet combination of leeks and celery root pairs nicely with the slight nuttiness and chew of whole wheat pasta (which I typically don't like much), but use whatever kind of pasta you have. This dish is a bit like a veg-heavy, grown up mac 'n cheese with no separate cream sauce. ... Read more »

This is a pretty, green-flecked soup topped with more green in the form of the parsley garnish. Pistou is sort of a French version of pesto (usually without nuts) made with basil and used to top soups. This lemony parsley version brightens up this simple, creamy (no cream) soup. ... Read more »

A light mash of leeks and potatoes gets topped with plenty of pan-fried capers and parsley.... Read more »

  This is luxurious and simple and the scant ½ cup of cream is well worth it.  ... Read more »

One can turn most anything into a fritter, patty, latke-like thing. It rarely fails to, a) taste good, b) use up whatever random bits of vegetables and herbs I have, c) turn vegetable skeptics into vegetable lovers, d) serve as a light one dish meal! And I never deep fry them, mostly because I'm frugal and don't want to use that much oil and because it makes a mess and because I think they taste just as good just pan-fried in a little oil.   As usual, adapt as you see fit, using whatever herbs or spices you have on hand or particularly like. Use sweet potatoes or winter squash instead of potatoes; add greens, add leftover meat, skip the (green) garlic and herbs entirely.  ... Read more »

I love the flavors and texture of this dish--it's much quicker than real scalloped potatoes--and it's plenty hearty for a main dish in my book. You could add or substitute celery root, parsnips, turnips or rutabagas for some or all of the potatoes. Cooking times will vary a bit but I don't mind if the vegetables get quite soft and begin falling apart.  ... Read more »

It doesn't get much simpler or better. Big leeks, little leeks, use most of the green parts or none  . . . a few stalks of green garlic if you happen to have them or none. Just sauté them in butter and enjoy!... Read more »

The leeks are meltingly tender and sweet and mellow and the dressing is punchy and sharp from the mustard, shallots and vinegar. The dusting of egg adds a bit of richness. It's just a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Typically recipes for leeks vinaigrette call for baby or at least quite small leeks. I've actually only ever made it with large leeks as that's what I typically have. Use what you have!   This dish keeps well so don't worry about having too much for one sitting.... Read more »

This dish makes me never tire of cooler season vegetables. I love this combination and it can be varied to use onions instead of leeks, more or less garlic and tomato, with or without bacon, etc. It's inspired by the cooking of Tuscany and farther north where beans are king and cabbage is a standby. You can make a meal of this and serve it on polenta if you'd like.   This recipe makes quite a bit but it keeps well and is delicious the following day with an egg, salad, good bread, or just as is.... Read more »

      This is a quick, rich and warming side dish. The crunch from the toasted nuts is critical to lend it some dimension. I happened to have fresh turmeric and used it in this version but dried/ground is just fine as well. ... Read more »