Leeks are for Braising

Leeks are a nutritious part of the allium family, kind of like onions or scallions but much thicker and with a milder flavor. They're pretty versatile, but until recently I had only used them for chicken stock or potato-leek soup. So when I saw a recipe for braised leeks, I was skeptical. But man, braised leeks have become a favorite around our house (at least for Liz and I -- the kids aren't into them).

Like fava beans, leeks are one of the vegetables that I don't recall ever buying at the store or farmer's market, but which come in our CSA farm share box nowadays (so they're in season, at least in the Bay Area). In other words, I may not have discovered how delicious these are if we didn't subscribe to a CSA (challenging yourself with unfamiliar veggies is one of the best reasons to join).

And if you aren't familiar with braising, then you should be. It's a great way to break down connective tissue in tougher meats (I know, that doesn't sound appetizing) but also magically transforms leeks and other veggies into something unbelievably delicious. To put it simply, you cook them in butter over moderately high heat (about 5 minutes or so), allowing them to get scorched just a little. Then you finish them in a stock reduction, covered, until they're juicy and tender.

This recipe for braised leeks with lemon from Epicurious is pretty great. All you need are leeks, butter, lemon zest, and a small amount of chicken stock or broth.

That's it for today. My next post will be a 2014 spring/summer garden preview.

Cheers,
Steve