Creamed Leek Gratin Food

LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve leeks lengthwise, leaving halves attached at root, and rinse well, shaking off water.
• In a large skillet, combine cream and leeks; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce to a medium simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer until leeks are tender, 15 minutes. Transfer leeks and sauce to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
• Sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving.

LEEKS AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cut off the root end and the tough leaf ends, then cut leeks lengthwise in half; cut halves crosswise into 3-in. pieces. Place cream, salt, pepper and leeks in a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Uncover; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese., Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and leeks are tender, 15-20 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

CREAMED LEEKS

Steps:

• Cut off roots of the leeks and peel off any withered leaves. Cut off 2 inches from green tops. With a sharp knife slit the green parts in half lengthwise stopping an inch from root end. Make another slit, lengthwise and perpendicular. Spread leaves apart an rinse them under running water, carefully looking out for hidden grit. Cut leeks crosswise into 1 1/2-inch lengths.
• Heat butter in a saucepan and add the leeks. Toss to combine them with the butter. Add the broth, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until completely tender. You may do the recipe 2 to 3 days in advance up to this point. Over medium heat, evaporate the liquid from the leeks and when they are totally dry add heavy cream, starting with 1/4 cup or so and simmer, stirring continuously until the cream has been absorbed by the leeks. Add 1/4 cup more and repeat if you wish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

CREAMED LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pan and gently fry the leeks, shallots and thyme for 5-10 minutes until softened. Pour in the white wine and leave to bubble away for 5 minutes.
• Add the cream, season and simmer gently for 5-6 minutes. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and leave to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Cover the dish with the grated cheese and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Serve hot.

SPRING GREENS AND LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in an ovenproof 10" skillet (such as cast iron) over medium-low heat. Add leeks and ramp bulbs and cook, stirring often, until leeks are softened, about 10 minutes. (Try to keep the leeks from browning.)
• Add ramp greens, arugula, and spinach in big handfuls, cooking and wilting one batch before adding the next. (At first it will look like all those greens will never fit in the skillet, but keep at it-you'll see!) When all greens are wilted (this may take 15-20 minutes), add coriander, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until spices are incorporated, about 1 minute. Add lemon zest, cream, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Continue to cook, stirring, until cream has slightly reduced, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
• Toss bread with oil in a large bowl to coat. Arrange bread on top of vegetables, taking care not to cover the greens completely (you want them to peek through here and there). Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp. Parmesan over.
• Transfer to oven and bake gratin until bread is golden brown and crisp, cheese is melted, and cream is bubbling, 35-45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

POTATO & LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Pour the stock, cream and milk into a small saucepan, add the garlic and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let the flavours infuse while you get on with the rest of the dish.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/fan 160C. Butter a 2 litre gratin dish well. Mix the potatoes, leeks and ham (if using) together in the dish, and spread out in an even layer. Pour over the stock mixture and tuck the bay leaf in the middle. Season and sprinkle with the cheese.
• Stand the dish on a baking tray to catch any spills. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Test the potatoes with a knife - they should be just beginning to soften. Remove the foil and bake for another 35-45 minutes, spooning some of the stock mixture over every now and again until the potatoes are tender. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

LEEK AND MUSHROOM GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease/spray a 2-qt casserole dish.
• In a large skillet, melt butter. Add leeks and mushrooms, and salt, pepper and paprika cover and saute for 10-12 minutes; Remove from heat.
• Add light cream, parmesan cheese and swiss cheese. Stir to combine well; pour into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
• Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

POTATO LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart gratin dish. Wash the leeks to remove any grit and slice thinly crosswise.
• Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the potatoes into rounds, 1/8-inch thick. Toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Layer the rounds in the gratin dish.
• Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, remaining salt and pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard thyme and scatter the leeks over the potatoes.
• Add cream, garlic and bay leaf to the skillet, scraping up browned bits of leeks from the bottom of the pan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg.
• Pour the cream over the leeks and potatoes and top with the Gruyère. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, uncover and bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Let cool slightly before serving.

CHEESY CELERIAC, LEEK & ROSEMARY GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the leeks, rosemary and bay leaf, then cover and cook very gently over a medium-low heat for 15-20 mins until the leeks are soft. Pour over the milk and almost all of the cream, then season and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little, then scoop out the bay leaf.
• Pour a little of the leek mixture into an ovenproof gratin dish. Arrange a layer of celeriac in the dish, then season. Spoon over some more of the leek mixture and scatter with a little cheese. Repeat the process, alternating between layers of the leek mixture, cheese and celeriac slices, then finish with a drizzle of cream and the last of the cheese. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the gratin for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until the top is golden and the celeriac is tender when poked with a knife. If the gratin is browning a little too much, cover the dish in foil. Can be chilled, then reheated in a microwave or oven on a low heat with a drizzle more cream.

CREAMED LEEKS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
• Cut each leek into an 8-inch length, measuring from root end, and halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces. (You should have about 8 cups.) Wash leek pieces in a large bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and transfer to another bowl. Repeat with clean water, then drain leeks well.
• Cook bread crumbs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and pale golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Cut out a round from parchment or wax paper to fit just inside a 12-inch heavy skillet.
• Cook leeks with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, leeks covered directly with parchment, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 12 minutes.
• Discard parchment and transfer leeks with a slotted spoon to gratin dish. Pour cream slowly over leeks, then scatter bread crumbs on top. Bake until cream is bubbling and slightly thickened and crumbs are golden brown, about 15 minutes.