Potato Leek Casserole Ina Garten Recipes

ROASTED POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
• In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
• When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.
• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

LEEK AND POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an oval baking dish. Drain the leeks and rinse.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and thyme, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the leeks are softened and golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Peel and slice the potatoes into very thin rounds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer half of the potatoes in the buttered dish, then layer half of the cooked leeks over the potatoes. Repeat the layers.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the cream cheese, cream, chicken stock and garlic. Stir together, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with the paprika and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes so the cheese melts. Pour the cream mixture over the leeks and potatoes and top with the grated cheese.
• Cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

POTATO LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart gratin dish. Wash the leeks to remove any grit and slice thinly crosswise.
• Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the potatoes into rounds, 1/8-inch thick. Toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Layer the rounds in the gratin dish.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, remaining salt and pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard thyme and scatter the leeks over the potatoes.
• Add cream, garlic and bay leaf to the skillet, scraping up browned bits of leeks from the bottom of the pan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg.
• Pour the cream over the leeks and potatoes and top with the Gruyère. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, uncover and bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Let cool slightly before serving.

LEEK AND ARTICHOKE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, tossing once, until lightly browned. Place the pancetta in one layer on another sheet pan and bake in the same oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Place the pancetta on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
• Soak the leeks in water until they're clean, and spin them dry in a salad spinner. Heat the butter in an 11-inch pot over medium heat; add the leeks and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the wine almost evaporates and the leeks are tender. Off the heat, mix in the artichokes, toasted bread cubes, chives and tarragon.
• Whisk the eggs, cream, chicken stock, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Spoon half of the bread mixture into a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half the Emmentaler and add the remaining bread mixture. Pour on the cream mixture, sprinkle with the remaining Emmentaler and press lightly to help the bread absorb the liquid. Dice or crumble the pancetta, scatter on top and sprinkle with pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the cream mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the custard is set and the bread pudding is puffed and golden. Serve hot.
• Find these recipes and more in Ina's new book, Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook ($35, Clarkson Potter).

MUSHROOM AND LEEK BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes, until starting to brown. Stir in the leeks and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the leeks are tender. Stir in the mushrooms, tarragon, sherry, 1 tablespoon salt and 11/2 teaspoons pepper and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, stir in the parsley.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, chicken stock and 1 cup of the Gruyere. Add the bread cubes and mushroom mixture, stirring well to combine. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the liquid. Stir well and pour into a 2 1/2-to-3-quart gratin dish (13 x 9 x 2 inches). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and the custard is set. Serve hot.

POTATO AND LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Combine milk, potatoes, and garlic in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup milk mixture.
• Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat; place leek mixture in a bowl. Arrange half of potato slices in a single layer in bottom of skillet or a gratin dish; top evenly with half of leek mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup Gruyère cheese. Repeat layers with remaining half of potatoes, remaining half of leek mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 cup Gruyère. Drizzle with reserved 1/2 cup milk mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover pan with foil; bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove foil from pan. Turn on broiler (do not remove pan from oven). Broil 5 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove pan from oven, and sprinkle with pepper; cool. Cut into 10 wedges.

ROASTED POTATO LEEK SOUP (INA GARTEN BACK TO BASICS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4-5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
• In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, cream fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
• When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and Crispy Shallots, if using.

POTATO-FENNEL GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
• Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
• Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.
• Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.