Braised Leeks With Lemons Food

PAN SEARED RATTLESNAKE ON BRAISED LEEKS WITH A LEMON CAPER SAUCE AND SEASONAL VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Rattlesnake: Dredge all of the skinned rattlesnake fillets in flour, and then sear both sides, until brown, in a medium sized saute pan with vegetable oil on medium heat.
• Lemon Caper Sauce: Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan. In a separate medium saute pan, fry the apple-smoked bacon. Remove the bacon pieces. Add minced garlic and minced shallots to the pan of bacon lard. Pour in the heated chicken stock and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Finish the sauce with butter, diced tomato, roasted capers and the juice of one lemon. Heat the sauce on low heat.
• To serve: Place the rattlesnake fillets on top of the sauteed vegetables and spoon the lemon-caper sauce on top. Sprinkle chopped parsley and fried basil leaves on top of the sauce. Finish by garnishing the plate with frisee that has been tossed in lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.
• Cook the vegetables in a saute pan over medium heat with a little chicken stock and butter until they are slightly tender. Serve warm.

GRILLED BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high. Cut each leek in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly to remove all dirt and sand. Pat dry. Brush the cut side of each leek half with the bacon drippings and sprinkle with kosher salt. Grill over direct, high heat, cut side down, with lid closed, approximately 6 to 7 minutes or until grill marks appear. Remove the leeks to a sheet of aluminum foil and lay cut side up. Brush the leeks with balsamic vinegar. Reassemble the leek halves together, wrap tightly in foil, and set back on the grill away from direct heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the leeks from the foil and serve immediately, as is or with crumbled bacon and goat cheese.

BUTTER-BRAISED CARROTS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim the tops of the carrots. Scrub the carrots well but do not peel; halve lengthwise. Wash the chopped leeks thoroughly.
• Melt the butter in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add the carrots, lemon zest, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 cup water. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, 15 to 20 more minutes.
• Add half of the herbs, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste; toss. Transfer the vegetables to a platter and top with the remaining herbs.

CONFIT LEEKS WITH LENTILS, LEMON AND CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• If necessary, soak and carefully rinse the leek rounds in a large bowl of water to get rid of any excess grit. Drain, then cautiously pat dry, keeping the rounds intact.
• Add the leeks, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to a 12-by-8-inch/30-by-20-centimeter baking dish. Mix gently to combine, then pour the oil on top. Arrange the leeks cut-side up, then cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and gently turn the leeks using two forks. Cover again with foil and return to the oven to bake until completely softened, about 35 minutes more. Turn the oven temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius/400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• As the leeks bake, fill a medium saucepan about two-thirds of the way with water and bring to a boil over high. Add the lentils and cook until just tender but not at all mushy, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
• When ready, remove the confit leeks from the oven and transfer a heaping 1/2 cup/100 grams of the cooked leeks plus 5 of the garlic cloves to a bowl for the leek cream. Add the cooked lentils to the remaining leeks in the baking dish along with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper; mix gently to combine. Cover again with the foil and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and leave to settle for 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.
• While the lentils bake with the leeks, make the cream: Add reserved leeks and garlic to a food processor along with the heavy cream, mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of salt; blitz until smooth.
• When ready, stir the remaining 4 tablespoons lemon juice and the chopped herbs into the lentil and leek mixture. Transfer to a rimmed platter and serve with the leek cream in a bowl alongside.

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.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH MUSTARD CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
• Spread the chopped butter and oil over the base of a roasting pan large enough to hold the leeks in one layer.
• Add the leeks and roast for 10 minutes.
• Remove the leeks from the oven and turn them over in the pan.
• Roast for a further 10 minutes.
• Remove the leeks from the oven and add the stock.
• Roast for another 10 minutes or until the leeks have started to brown slightly and the stock has reduced.
• Remove the leeks from the oven and keep warm on the serving dish by covering them with aluminium foil.
• MAKING THE MUSTARD CREAM: Melt the remaining 50g of butter in a small sauté pan over a medium heat.
• Add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes or until softened.
• Increase the heat a little, add the wine and slowly bring to the boil.
• Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
• Stir in the cream and simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken.
• Stir in the mustard.
• Add half the chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the leeks with the mustard cream and garnish with the remaining chives.
• Serve.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH LEMONS

Steps:

• Place leeks in 2 layers in a 14-by-9-by-2-inch oval dish. Pour broth over leeks. Place lemon slices evenly over leeks. Drizzle olive oil over lemons.
• Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 50 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold.

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.

LEEKS BRAISED IN CREAM WITH GARLIC AND LEMON

Steps:

• Trim leeks about 2 inches beyond the point where the leaves start to darken.
• Trim the root end and cut the leeks in half length-wise and then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Place the leek pieces in a large bowl filled with cold water and rinse thoroughly.
• Lift the leeks out of the water (the soil will have sunk to the bottom) and into a colander to drain.
• Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks start to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cream, broth and zest.
• Cover and simmer until the leeks are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and cook until the braising liquid thickens, about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet.
• Add garlic and heat slowly until it begins to flavor oil, about 2 minutes.
• Add leeks and carrots, tossing gently to coat with oil and garlic.
• Add 2TB water, reduce heat, cover, and cook about 20minutes until leeks and carrots are soft.
• Remove lid, increase heat, and stir vegetable mix until thoroughly cooked, and most of the moisture is removed.
• Serve hot as an interesting side dish.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH LEMON

Steps:

• In a shallow dish soak leeks in cold water to cover 15 minutes, rubbing occasionally to remove any grit. In a heavy skillet melt butter over moderate heat. lift leeks out of the water and with water still clinging to them add to skillet. Cook leeks, stirring occasionally, five minutes and add broth and zest. Braise leeks, covered, 5 minutes, or until very tender, and season with salt and pepper.