Grilled Braised Leeks Recipes

SIMPLE BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Remove outer leaves; cut dark-green ends from leeks. Trim roots, keeping leaves attached. Halve lengthwise; rinse to remove grit.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks to pan and arrange cut side down in a single layer. Cook until softened and light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn leeks and cook on the other side until softened, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the leeks again so they are cut side down and peel off any papery outer layers. Add stock and wine, stirring to deglaze pan. Cook for 1 minute. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover with a parchment paper round. Cook until the leeks are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes.
• Remove parchment, raise heat, and cook until liquid is reduced, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and parsley; serve.

GRILLED LEEKS WITH ROMESCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the romesco sauce. Preheat the broiler, and cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet, and place under the broiler at the highest setting. Broil for two to four minutes until charred on one side. Turn over, and broil on the other side for two to four minutes until charred. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Peel and core.
• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When the garlic is chopped and adheres to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the toasted almonds (or almonds and hazelnuts), bread and chili powder or flakes to the bowl. Process into a paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the pepper, tomatoes, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With the machine running, add the vinegar and olive oil in a slow stream. Process until well mixed, then scrape into a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt as desired. If possible, allow the sauce to stand for an hour at room temperature before using.
• Cut away the dark green ends of the leeks. Trim the root end. Cut fat leeks lengthwise into quarters, and rinse thoroughly under cold water to wash away any sand. If your leeks are 1/2 inch in diameter they needn't be cut; if they are between 1/2 inch and an inch, you can just cut them in half.
• Bring an inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer. Place the leeks in the steamer, and steam 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
• Prepare a medium-hot grill. Grill the steamed leeks for five minutes, turning often, just until grill marks appear. Remove from the heat, and serve with romesco sauce.

BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, trim most of the roots off the end of the leek, leaving enough so that the leek remains attached at the bottom. Cut each leek lengthwise into halves and then cut each half into inch long pieces. Soak leeks in a large bowl of cool water to allow any dirt to settle to the bottom.
• In a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks to the skillet. Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with thyme and cook one minute more.
• Add stock, reduce heat to medium low. Braise the leeks, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

GRILLED LEEKS

Steps:

• Bring white wine, clam juice, garlic, onion and butter to a simmer. Add leeks and braise for 20 minutes, let cool in liquid. Cut lengthwise. Whisk together the olive oil and garlic in a large bowl, and the leeks and let marinate 1 hour. Preheat grill. Grill until golden brown.

GRILLED BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high. Cut each leek in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly to remove all dirt and sand. Pat dry. Brush the cut side of each leek half with the bacon drippings and sprinkle with kosher salt. Grill over direct, high heat, cut side down, with lid closed, approximately 6 to 7 minutes or until grill marks appear. Remove the leeks to a sheet of aluminum foil and lay cut side up. Brush the leeks with balsamic vinegar. Reassemble the leek halves together, wrap tightly in foil, and set back on the grill away from direct heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the leeks from the foil and serve immediately, as is or with crumbled bacon and goat cheese.

GRILLED BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• Place 2 cloves garlic and some coarse salt in a mortar, and pulverize to a paste. Rub meat with paste and sprinkle with pepper. Set aside 1 hour.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy saucepan. Add carrots, onions, leeks and remaining garlic. Sauté over low heat until soft but not brown. Stir in thyme and bay leaf. Add wine and vinegar, bring to simmer, transfer to bowl. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Place ribs and wine mixture in a large heavy-duty plastic bag. Seal well, and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Remove ribs from marinade, scraping off vegetables. Pour marinade with vegetables into saucepan. Add stock and bring to simmer.
• Pat ribs dry; season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in large skillet, add ribs and quickly brown on all sides. Transfer to roasting pan. Pour heated marinade over ribs, cover with parchment paper and foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until fork-tender. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes.
• Remove ribs from liquid. Remove bones, and trim all gristle and surface fat, keeping meat in one large slab. (Meat can now be refrigerated up to 3 days before grilling.)
• Strain liquid and skim off grease. (If ribs won't be grilled immediately, liquid can be refrigerated until fat solidifies to simplify removal.) Boil down strained liquid until reduced to barely 1 cup and slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter bit by bit. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
• To serve, slice slab of meat in half horizontally with a large knife, and cut each piece into two or three portions. Place meat on grill or in grill pan over high heat, and sear briefly on both sides until heated through, lightly browned and traced with grill marks. Serve drizzled with sauce.

GRILLED MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Quarter 2 trimmed leeks lengthwise; cut into 2-inch pieces.
• In bowl, toss 1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place in hot wok; cook until tender, 10 minutes.
• In bowl, toss leeks with 1 tablespoon olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until lightly charred, 15 to 25 minutes. Dust with 1 tablespoon Parmesan.