Caramelized Endives And Leeks Recipes

CARAMELIZED GRILLED LEEKS

Steps:

• The most important thing with leeks is to make sure and remove any sand or grit from between the layers. To do this, cut off the tops (hair-like ends) and most of the tough green parts.
• Then slice them in half, from top to bottom. Fan out the layers like in the photo above, and rinse under running water to remove any dirt or grit. I'm serious here y'all. These things are grown in sandy soil, and that grit has lots of places to hide, so clean these well.
• These can be grilled or baked in the oven. I like to place them on a hot grill to get the darkened grill marks before adding seasonings. If you do this, make sure your grill is nice and hot first, and it takes a few minutes to get those brown marks.
• Place leeks in a grill-proof pan. I line an aluminum disposable pan with parchment paper. Season with garlic powder, minced garlic, parsley flakes, and vegetarian 'oyster' sauce or soy sauce. Add 1/4 cup water to maintain moisture.
• Fold the parchment paper over top. Then cover with a sheet of foil. Toss on the grill and allow to cook at medium-high heat for approximately 20-30 minutes. If baking in the oven, bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
• If not cooked long enough, they will be chewy. Remove from grill and serve warm!

CARAMELIZED LEEKS BRAISED IN A WINE AND THYME BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim the leeks by removing the outer layer and most of the dark green tops. You should be left with only the white and light green parts. Halve them lengthwise, making sure to leave the root end intact. Place the trimmed leeks in a large bowl of cold water and swish them around to remove the grit and dirt from the many layers. (Leave the leeks in the water for a few minutes - this will loosen up the dirt). Remove the leeks from the water and drain them on a kitchen towel or paper towels.
• Place a 12" non-stick skillet over medium heat (the skillet should have a lid which you will need later.) When the skillet is hot, add two tablespoons of butter and when the butter melts, sprinkle the sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Next, add the leeks, cut side down in a single layer. Cook the leeks until they become golden brown and caramelized. This will take 5-6 minutes depending on the heat and the kind of skillet you are using.
• To the skillet, add the wine, broth, fresh thyme sprigs and some salt & pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, carefully turning them once or twice (this step is not absolutely necessary). The leeks are done when they can be pierced easily with a knife. If they need a longer time braising or if your liquid has evaporated, add some more wine and broth.
• Remove the leeks from the skillet and place on a serving dish. Cover them to keep them warm. Simmer the remaining liquid in the skillet over medium heat, for a minute or so, until it is thickened. Stir in the remaining 1-tablespoon of butter and the lemon juice. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed. Spoon the sauce over the leeks; sprinkle some pomegranate seeds (this is optional) and serve warm.

BALSAMIC CARAMELIZED LEEKS, CARROTS, AND CELERY

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir leeks until softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots, vegetable broth, and balsamic vinegar; cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir brown sugar into leek mixture until dissolved and mixture is lightly browned, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

GRILLED ARTICHOKE AND ENDIVE SALAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Coating the cheese in herbs: Cut the Rocamadour cheese into 1''-cubes. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped herbs, making sure the cheese is completely coated.
• How to prepare the leeks: Trim the hairy root but make sure not to cut so high that all the leaves separate. Cut about 4 inches off of the long dark green top part of the leek as well. It's very fibrous and not as tender. You can save it for making vegetable stock. Remove a layer or two if the leaves are wilted.
• Fill a large bowl of water and rinse the leeks. Try to open up the leaves and remove all the sand and dirt. Make sure the center portion is still intact so the vegetable holds together. Wash the leeks again under cold running water; there might still be more sand.
• Place a steamer basket over a good amount of water in a large saucepan. Add the leeks to the basket. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes (depending on how thick the leeks are).
• Let cool to room temperature. Cut the leeks into 1-½'' pieces. Set aside.
• Place a large bowl filled with water in the sink. Swirl the artichokes upside down in the water. Make sure there is no dirt trapped between the leaves. Remove the tough outer leaves. Remove the stems using a sharp knife.
• Place the artichokes in the large saucepan. Cover with about 1-½ cups of water. The level of water should go one third of the way up the artichokes.
• Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Throw the cut leaves and stems into the water of the pot (if you're planning on drinking the artichoke liquid, check the tip section). Cook for about 20 minutes until the bottoms of the vegetables are tender. A good way to check is to poke the choke with a paring knife.
• Remove the artichokes from the saucepan and let stand for about 5-10 minutes. Drain the artichokes thoroughly and let them cool a little (do not rinse and let the liquid evaporate). Slice them in half length-wise using a sharp chef's knife. Using a spoon, scoop out the inside choke (inedible part).
• In a large non-stick pan, heat the canola oil, add the shallots and cook until slightly golden. Add the red bell pepper, the halved artichokes and endives face down for about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the pan when caramelized. Let cool to room temperature.
• Stem, seed and cut the red bell pepper into thin slices.
• In a large bowl, combine the artichokes, endives, caramelized shallots, leeks, giant capers and 2 tablespoons of sliced red bell pepper. Reserve the rest of the red bell peppers for another recipe.
• Drizzle with passion fruit syrup (if used), lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and white pepper. Toss well.
• Prepare a pretty presentation of the salad on plates and add the herbed cheese.
• If you don't mind the strong flavor, you could also add a few anchovies to the salad.
• If you like, you can also drizzle vinaigrette over the salad (we didn't).
• Serve with baguette bread.
• Bon appétit!

CARAMELIZED ENDIVES AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim 2 leeks, leaving enough of the core to hold them together; halve lengthwise and rinse well. Halve 4 endives. Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, salt and pepper; toss with the leeks and endives. Place the vegetables on a sheet of foil; drizzle with any extra dressing. Fold up the packet and grill over medium-high heat until the endives are slightly golden and the leeks are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with crumbled blue cheese.