Leeks come in a long, cylinder shape and need to be washed well before use. The easiest way to prepare leeks is to cut the very bottom off and begin slicing in thin rounds up through the white part and just into the green part. Separate the slices into little rings and gently wash. I use a salad spinner to wash and then spin dry the leek circles. If I don't need a whole bunch of leeks at once, I freeze the extra on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper, removing them to a heavy plastic bag once frozen.
This week I have a great-tasting, easy recipe for using leeks: Creamy Chicken and Leeks served over a baked potato. It cooks up quickly and can be served with a salad alongside. For those of you interested in trying other leek recipes, let me suggest Alaina's Potato Leek Soup, or this Creamy Baked Leeks with Citrus Crumbs, or perhaps just Buttered Leeks.
CREAMY CHICKEN AND LEEKS
(adapted from www.bbcgoodfood.com)
olive oil
6 strips bacon, chopped
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 leeks, sliced into thin rounds
1 Tbsp. plain flour
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
1 Tbsp. grainy mustard
2 Tbsp. sour-cream
Heat the oil in a large sauce pan and fry the bacon for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, then cook with the bacon for a further 2-3 minutes, until the pieces begin to turn golden. Tip in the leeks and cook gently for 10 minutes until leeks are wilted and tender.
Stir through the flour and gradually add the stock, stirring constantly. Add the grainy mustard and sour-cream, stir again, then simmer gently for 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and creamy.
Serve on top of baked potatoes.
Serves 4-6.
MMMM!! I love leeks! I boil them till tender(chopped leeks...1 cm pieces), drain them. Then, put them back in the pan...add butter, salt, pepper, some capfuls of vinegar, then thicken it with corstarch and sometimes milk. Basically, it is creamed leeks!
ReplyDeleteSo you throw away the rest of the green part? Or is there something you can do with it?
ReplyDeleteI use about half of the green part -- the lighter green part. Otherwise I throw the rest away, although I think they could be tasty in a stock (of course you strain them out of the stock before you use it).
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