Fried Leeks With Tarragon Food

LEEKS IN VINAIGRETTE WITH WALNUTS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with oil; season with salt.
• Trim root ends of leeks and 1" from the dark green tops. Cut leeks into 1/2"-thick rounds (the dark green parts won't be rounds, but that's okay). Rinse well.
• Cook leeks in a large pot of boiling salted water until meltingly tender, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.
• Whisk garlic, vinegar, and Dijon and whole grain mustards in a small bowl; season vinaigrette with salt.
• Arrange leeks on a platter; drizzle with vinaigrette and let sit at least 10 minutes (the longer, the better).
• Just before serving, scatter walnut mixture over leeks and top with tarragon and lots of pepper.
• Do Ahead
• Leeks (without walnut mixture and tarragon) can be marinated 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

SAUTEED LEEKS

Steps:

• Thinly slice leeks. Use white and light green parts of leeks. Separate rings and place in colander. Rinse well and drain well. Try to get leeks as dry as possible.
• Heat olive oil and butter on med-high in frying pan large enough for all the leeks. Remember that they will wilt down!
• Add leeks to frying pan. Stir until all the leeks are coated with oil and butter. At this time, add tarragon, coriander and salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Stirring frequently, cook until leeks are close to caramelized, approximately 25 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy.

GRILLED LEEKS WITH TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a bowl or jar, combine the vinegar, mustard and some salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, and then slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking. Set aside.
• Trim the roots off the leeks, leaving some of the root end intact so the leeks hold together. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and rinse very well--they are usually pretty sandy and dirty.
• Add about 1 inch of water to a large pot over medium-high heat. Insert a steamer basket and set the leeks into the steamer. Cover and cook until softened and tender when the white end is pierced with a paring knife, about 5 minutes. Remove the leeks from the steamer, pat dry and transfer to a shallow dish. Brush with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a grill pan or grill to medium-high heat. Add the leeks, cut-side down, and cook until grill marks form, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat. Remove to a serving platter, drizzle over some of the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the hazelnuts.

FRIED LEEKS WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Trim leeks, slice in 1/2 lengthwise and rinse to remove sand and dirt. Cut them about 4-in long and place in a steamer basket and steam about 10 minutes, until tender, and set aside on paper towels for 20 minutes.
• Beat the egg, pepper, and half of the tarragon together in a bowl.
• Heat just enough oil to cover bottom of pan until a drop of water will sizzle in the pan.
• Coat the leeks in the eggs, then flour, and fry until browned, turning often.
• Sprinkle with vinegar and rest of tarragon and serve.

FRIED LEEKS (GARNISH)

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pot heat oil to 350 degrees F. Sift cornstarch and flour together.
• Dust leeks in flour/cornstarch and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Drain on a paper towel, season with sea salt.

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.

BAKED CHEESY EGGS WITH LEEKS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly grease/spray a 13x9-inch baking dish.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter; sauté the chopped leeks until they are tender. Place sautéed leeks into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Evenly sprinkle 1 cup ONLY of Havarti and the parmesan cheese over the leeks.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream, tarragon, salt, pepper and paprika; whisk until well beaten.
• Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish over the cheese layer.
• Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until set and lightly browned.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Havarti and bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

CREAMY SWISS CHARD PASTA WITH LEEKS, TARRAGON AND LEMON ZEST

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the chard: Tear the leaves off the stems, separating the leaves and stems. Thinly slice the stems, then coarsely tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Set both aside in separate bowls.
• Prepare the leeks: Trim off the bottom and the dark green portion at the top, halve the remaining white and pale green portion lengthwise, then thinly slice them crosswise. Wash and drain the sliced leeks. Set aside.
• Prepare the bread crumbs: In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium. Add the panko, season lightly with salt and generously with pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in nutritional yeast, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and melt over medium-high. Add the leeks, chard stems, garlic and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks start to wilt and soften, about 5 minutes. Add the torn chard, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until just wilted, 2 minutes.
• Add the stock and heavy cream, and boil over high until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Once the mixture is simmering, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain pasta.
• Transfer chard mixture to the empty pasta pot. Stir in the cooked pasta, then sprinkle with the Parmesan, stirring vigorously to melt it into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide among shallow bowls or plates. Sprinkle generously with the prepared bread crumbs, top with tarragon and grate fresh lemon zest on top. Serve immediately.