Leeks With Brown Butter Food

BUTTERED LEEKS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Trim off and discard the root ends of the leeks. Trim off and discard any dried out or browned ends of the leek greens. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, slice them crosswise into bite-sized pieces. You can use the dark green parts of the leek; chop it all up, just getting rid of any browned or dried ends.
• Put the leeks in a large bowl and cover with cool water. Swish the leeks around to loosen any dirt or grit. If you noticed any large clumps of grit when you were chopping the leeks, now is the time to make sure that they get rinsed off. Let the leeks sit a few minutes for the dirt and grit to settle to the bottom of the bowl.
• In a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• Lift the leeks out of the water, shaking any excess, and add them to the pan. Do not drain the leeks into a colander, since that will dump the dirt back onto the leeks. Sprinkle the leeks with the salt and stir to combine.
• Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so until the leeks are very tender, 30 to 40 minutes total.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir until the butter is melted into the leeks. Serve hot or warm.

BUTTERY LEEKS WITH PARMESAN AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim dark-green tops and root ends from leeks and discard; halve lengthwise. Remove thick, tough outer layers (2 to 4 total, depending on size), discarding or reserving for another use. Thoroughly wash and drain leeks, keeping them intact. Arrange in a snug single layer, cut sides up, in a broiler-safe baking dish or skillet.
• In a small saucepan, boil wine 30 seconds. Add broth and return to a boil; season generously with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over leeks, then sprinkle with butter and thyme. Cover dish with parchment-lined foil.
• Roast 45 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting until leeks are very soft and broth mixture is reduced by half, 20 to 22 minutes.
• Switch oven to broil. Sprinkle leeks with cheese. Broil 6 to 8 inches from heating element until bubbly and browning in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm, with some of braising liquid.