vegetable - leeks, cream
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon + - =more or less
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Leeks in Cream
This is a vegetable commonly ignored, unless made into a soup or quiche. It makes for a delicate side dish to poultry and fish or of course for vegetarian fare as part of a feast of vegetables. In German cuisine, a good grating of nutmeg is the traditional seasoning for leeks. Use young, medium sized leeks for this dish. The large ones are better for soups and stews. A quick dish, it is also versatile. See below for suggestions.
serves 4
500 g. leeks (4-5 stalks)
1 T. clarified
butter, or normal
1/8 litre vegetable or chicken broth
+- 50 ml. heavy cream
salt, pepper
several good pinches of fresh nutmeg
Trim roots and the tougher green tops. Cut into 2 cm. pieces and wash very well to remove all sand.
Melt the butter (if using normal butter, add a few drops of oil) and sauté over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add the broth and the seasonings. Cover, lower heat and simmer until tender (+- 5 minutes).
Add the cream, and simmer gently until it thickens.
Note: if you prefer this a little thicker use 1 tsp. of corn starch, stirred to a paste with water or cold broth and added at the end. Or beat one small egg yolk into the cream. Allow to thicken a moment over very low heat, stirring constantly. Too high heat will cause the yolk to 'cook' and separate.
Variations: add thin slices of chicken or turkey breast and cook with the leeks until done. Or cook with a little thyme in place of the nutmeg, top with Parmesan cheese for a Tuscan touch.
All recipes are excerpts from "Welcome to My Kitchen" - The Epicurean Table and are copyright of the author. Recipes are not to be
added to any form of archive or other works of any kind. Contact the author for further information.
The Epicurean Table © 1999-2009 Patricia Conant