Tender Braised Leeks Recipes

TENDER BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim the darkest green part off the leeks and strip away the first two layers. Cut in half lengthways, but keep attached at the root. Wash the leeks under cold running water and set aside. Tip all the other ingredients, except the olives and parsley, into a wide shallow pan with 200ml water, some cracked pepper and a sprinkling of salt.
• Slip the leeks into the pan, cover and place over a low heat. Gently simmer for 20 mins, turning them occasionally until very tender - a knife blade should slip in easily. Leave to cool until just warm, then stir through the parsley and olives, if you like. Serve the leeks as they are with crusty bread or with roast chicken or fish.

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.

OVEN-BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Trim roots and dark green tops from leeks, leaving 5 to 8 inches of white and light green parts. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise (or in quarters, if large). Rinse well, taking care to remove any grit, and pat dry. Nestle the leeks in a single layer, on their sides if necessary, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with herbs de Provence, pepper and salt. Cover with foil and bake until very tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking until lightly browned, about 10 minutes more.

BRAISED LEEKS, PEAS, AND LETTUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook leeks, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 5-7 minutes. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper, then pour in wine. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add lettuce, peas, and 1 cup water. Partially cover pan and bring liquid to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lettuce and peas are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, then stir in chives, mint, and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter. Top with pistachios.

EASY TURKISH-STYLE LEEKS RECIPE IN OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the leeks, carrots, and garlic and season with kosher salt, black pepper, and the spices. Toss around and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly as needed until the leeks and carrots soften just a bit.
• Add 2 cups of water, the rice, and lemon juice. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and the vegetables are fully tender.
• Let the leeks and carrots cool down to room temperature, then stir in the fresh parsley, lemon zest, and another good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

BRAISED CELERY AND LEEKS WITH VANILLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Layer the celery and leeks in a baking dish. Add the chicken broth, butter and vanilla extract. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a couple turns of pepper. Cover with foil and braise in the oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes more. Top with the celery leaves.

BRAISED LEEKS & PEAS

Steps:

• Discard outer, darker, tougher leaves from the leeks, then halve each into 2 shorter lengths and rinse under cold running water.
• Pour the chicken or veg stock into a large, wide shallow pan, then scatter in the garlic and thyme sprigs. Lay the leeks in the pan, trying not to crowd them, then season with pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until almost tender. Tip in the peas, bring back to the boil and simmer for a further 5 mins until the veg is cooked. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the leeks, peas and garlic to a warm serving dish, season with extra pepper, drizzle over the olive oil and finish with a scattering of thyme leaves.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Cut the ends and the dark green leaves of the leeks, and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then run under the faucet to remove any sand that may be lingering in between the layers. Peel off thick outer layers and discard.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet that will accommodate all of the leeks in one layer. Place the leeks in the pan, cut side down, and cook, shaking the pan and moving them around with tongs, until they are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the leeks over and cook on the other side until they are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the leeks back over so that the cut side is down. Peel off the outer layers if they are papery, as they will not soften when the leeks are braised. Pour in the wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then add enough water or stock to come just to the top of the leeks. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the leeks are thoroughly tender when pierced with a knife. Most of the liquid should have evaporated by this time. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
• Transfer the leeks to an oiled ovenproof pan if your skillet cannot go under the broiler. Using tongs, turn the leeks so that the flat side is up. If there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, pour it off. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the leeks. Place under the hot broiler until the cheese has melted and is beginning to color. Remove from the heat and serve.

BRAISED BABY LEEKS

Steps:

• Wash and trim the ends and roots of the baby leeks. Heat a knob of butter in a large frying pan, and add the leeks. Roll them around to coat them in the butter.
• Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and add the thyme. Cook for 20 mins or until tender. Serve with a sprinkling of thyme leaves.

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.

TURKISH-STYLE BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Cut the leeks crosswise into pieces about 2 inches long, then slice in half lengthwise. Wash the leeks very well.
• In a large skillet or saucepan, combine the leeks, oil and carrots over medium-high heat. Stir gently every once in a while, until the leeks are slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the stock or water, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until leeks are very tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and olives and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature, uncovered, about 45 minutes. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.