4 Easy Leek Recipes That You Can Make Today

Leeks are like onions, only better.  They add a sweet, oniony flavor to stews and soups. They are incredibly versatile and can be added to a vast range of dishes.

Cleaning and chopping leeks can take a lot of time since they are often filled with dirt and sand. Cooking and storage of leeks is made easier with dried leeks. Dried leeks have a potent, spicy flavor and have many benefits for the body. They have no additives or preservatives and can last longer than fresh leeks; moreover, they retain 90% of their fresh nutritional value.

With these four leek recipes, you’ll be able to enjoy them as a side dish or a meal.

Orecchiette with Leeks, Eggplant, and Almonds¹

This recipe is full of flavor. The crunch of almonds and the creamy cheese with the eggplant and leeks is a delicious combo.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried leeks
• 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
• 1 pound eggplant, diced
• ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, in different bowls
• ½ cup raw chopped almonds
• ½ cup chopped parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons grated cheese, ⅓ cup grated cheese in a separate bowl
• Salt to taste
• Ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• ¾ cup vegetable stock

Method:

1. Heat the ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook until light golden, tossing frequently for 2 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a medium bowl, leaving that almondy-oil goodness in the skillet.
2. Let the almonds cool for 10 minutes. Toss with parsley, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of cheese. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the almond oil in the skillet. Add the eggplant and cook over medium heat. Cook the eggplant until browned on both sides for about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, tossing occasionally until the eggplant is tender.
4. Add the dried leeks and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, occasionally stirring for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to the skillet with the eggplant mixture. Add the remaining ⅓ cup of cheese. Continue cooking until the sauce is nice and creamy and lightly coats the pasta for 3 minutes.
6. Serve the pasta topped with the reserved almond mixture.

Cooking tip: You can make the pasta one day in advance and chill it.

Buttered Leeks²

This is one of the best ways to cook leeks. It is simple and delicious. Dried leeks save you the time washing the leeks and chopping them.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried leeks
• 1/2 cup butter
• Thyme leaves for garnishing

Method

1. Rehydrate the dried leeks.
2. Heat butter over medium heat on a large pan till it melts. Add the leeks and seasoning. Stir to coat in the butter. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Serve with extra butter and sprinkle thyme leaves.
4. Cooking tips: serve on puff pastry or beef.

Persian Herb and Leek Frittata³

If green herbs and a vegan diet is your thing, this recipe will definitely give you that. If you don’t like greens, this leek recipe will change your mind.  When you’re serving greens, you’ll not have to close your eyes when you take a bite.  Ensure that you chop all the herbs super finely. It can be time-consuming to chop all the herbs. Use dried herbs if you are short of time. m

Bottom of Form

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil,
• 1 medium onion, chopped (or dried chopped onions)
• 1 cup dried leek
• 5 eggs
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1½ cups cilantro, chopped
• 1½ cups dill, chopped
• ½ cup chopped garlic (or our sliced garlic)
• 1½ cups parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves

Method

1. Heat half of the oil in a ten inches skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and leek, occasionally stirring for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat just before they brown. Transfer to a plate and let it cool. Wipe the skillet and set it aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, baking powder, pepper, and turmeric. Mix in the onion mixture, cilantro, dill, parsley, and fenugreek. This egg mixture should look thick and very green.
3. Heat the remaining half of the oil in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture; spread evenly across the pan with a spatula. Cover and cook until the bottom is just set for about 10 minutes. Uncover and broil for about a minute until the top is set. Let it cool slightly, and then slide out onto a platter.
4. Cooking tip: To add some sweetness, you can use berries and basil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and squeeze some lime juice just before you eat. Top of Form

Sausage & Leek Mash Pie⁴

Enjoy this sausages and leek pie with a cheesy mash topping. Freeze the pie for busy nights when you have many guests to feed.

Ingredients

• 2 cups freeze dried potatoes
• 2 cups dried leeks
• 2½ tablespoon oil
• 6 pork sausages
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 2 cups of chicken gravy
• 1 cup shredded kale
• ½ tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• 3 tablespoon whole milk
• ¼  cup cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Rehydrate the freeze dried potatoes and heat them slightly. Then mash.
2. Heat half of the oil in a casserole or skillet. Chop the sausages into large pieces without their skin, and add directly into the pan. Fry over medium heat for 7 minutes until golden brown.
3. Add the flour and stir. Cook for a minute. Pour in the gravy and add half a cup of water, or depending on how thick you want your gravy to be. Simmer then and the kales and cook for 5 more minutes. Set aside.
4. Preheat the grill to the highest temperature.
5. On a separate pan, add the remaining oil. Add the leeks and fry for 5 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes, mustard, milk, and seasoning. Stir till they mix entirely. Spoon and swirl the mash mixture on top of the sausage mix and spread the cheese on top. Grill for about five minutes till golden.

Cooking tip: To make it vegan or vegetarian, swap the pork sausages, cheddar, milk, and gravy for vegan alternatives, soy protein

Did you try out any of these recipes? Share your views on the comment section below.

References

1. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/orecchiette-mushrooms-leeks-almonds
2. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/buttered-leeks
3. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/persian-herb-and-leek-frittata
4. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sausage-leek-mash-pie

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