Melted Leeks Recipes

MELTED LEEKS

Steps:

• Place leeks, onion, carrot, celery and water to cover in a large pot and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well and thinly slice.
• Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add leaks, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

TRUFFLE-STEAMED HALIBUT ON MELTED LEEKS WITH TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine the truffle peelings and Madeira in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, separately reserving the liquid and peelings.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, 1/4 cup of the chopped carrot, celery, and sachet. Saute for about 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the reserved Madeira liquid and stir to de-glaze the pan. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes or until the pan is almost dry. Add the rich chicken stock and cook about 4 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Immediately strain through a fine sieve into a medium size, heat-proof bowl. Discard the solids. Set the liquid aside to cool.
• When the liquid is cool, whisk in the vinegar, 1/2 cup of the remaining olive oil, and the truffle oil. Season the truffle vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Remove the green part from the leeks (you may want to reserve this for making stock). Split leeks in half, lengthwise, down to but not through the root ends. Holding the leeks together by the root, rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the grit. Pat dry.
• Place the leeks in a medium saucepan along with the chicken stock, butter, minced parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the leeks are soft. Add the 1/2 cup of remaining diced carrots and simmer for 3 minutes. Cover and turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner to keep the leeks warm until ready to serve.
• While the leeks are cooking, prepare the halibut.
• Lightly season each piece of halibut with salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste. Place 2 truffle slices and 1 tarragon leaf on each side of the halibut. Using a large pastry brush, very lightly coat one side of 6 10-inch by 10-inch squares of plastic wrap with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Securely wrap each piece of fish in an oiled plastic wrap square. Place the halibut in the top half of a steamer over lightly simmering water. Cover and steam for 8 minutes per inch, or until the fish is just firm but slightly underdone in the center. Remove the fish from the steamer.
• Whisk the fines herbs into the reserved truffle vinaigrette.
• Spoon equal portions of the melted leeks into the center of each 6 warm dinner plates. Unwrap the fish and place one piece on top of the leeks. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the fish and around the edge of the plate. Garnish top with crispy leeks and serve.
• Add oil to deep fryer, or a 3-inch deep saute pan. Heat over medium-high until very hot but not smoking, and add the leeks. Quickly fry until the leeks are crisp, about 30 seconds. Remove leeks from oil immediately. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

ITALIAN SEARED HALIBUT WITH MELTED LEEKS

Steps:

• To prepare the melted leeks, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring only occasionally, until they're golden brown and beginning to shrink a bit, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the skillet and reserve.
• Return the skillet to medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the butter. Add the leeks to the pan, season them with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring frequently (don't let them get brown), until they've softened, about 10 minutes. Add the white wine and dried oregano to the skillet along with the reserved mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until most of the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Season as needed with salt and pepper; reserve warm.
• While the leeks are cooking, prepare the gremolata. In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and reserve.
• When the leeks are just about ready, place a second medium skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Season the fish liberally with salt and pepper, and sear it flesh-side down first, turning the fillet only once, until cooked to your liking, about 5 minutes per side for medium (depending on the thickness).
• Serve the melted leeks topped with a piece of fish per plate and a garnish of the gremolata.

MELTED LEEKS WITH WHITE-WINE BRAISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut off and discard the tough green tops of the leeks. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse well to remove grit. Cut the leeks on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices, transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and toss them with the salt and pepper. Drizzle with the wine, dot with the butter and cover the dish tightly with foil.
• Place the leeks in the oven and bake until they are very soft, about 70 minutes. Serve 2 cups with the roasted chickens and refrigerate the remaining 2 cups for other uses.

SCALLOPS WITH "MELTED" LEEKS AND TARRAGON-CAPER BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add capers; sauté until crisp, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Boil wine and next 4 ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 15 minutes. Add cream; boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. (Capers and sauce can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and 3/4 cup water. Simmer until leeks are tender and almost all water evaporates, about 4 minutes. Mix in chives. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer leek mixture to platter. Tent with foil.
• Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil in another heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops; sauté until cooked, about 2 minutes per side. Arrange atop leeks. Tent with foil.
• Reheat sauce over medium heat. Gradually add 6 tablespoons butter; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute (do not boil). Strain sauce into small bowl. Stir in capers and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over scallops.