I just made some lovely soup with leeks. The problem is that the bundles of leeks in the grocery store were ginormous, and I have 1 1/2 huge leeks leftover. Any suggestions what to do with them?
Other stuff I have lying around that could figure into the equation (or not):
A chicken carcass and a mess of frozen vegetable scraps, destined to become a kick-ass chicken broth.
1 1/2 lbs lamb, cut for stew.
~1 lb fresh asparagus spears.
And naturally I’ll be happy to nip off to the grocery store to pick up any other necessary raw materials.
French Leek Soup. There’s a diet book out (can’t remember the name) that claims this and this alone is what allows French women to eat rich foods and still look amazing.
I made potato leek soup last night. It’s delicious and (most importantly, if you’re me) super easy. If you have a few potatoes lying around, I’ll tell you the recipe. The only other ingredients are butter, salt, pepper, and milk or cream.
On Good Eats Alton Brown made leek rings (like onion rings). Crop them into inch, inch and a half rounds, separate them into rings a few layers deep, and fry them quickly.
If you’re not inspired right now, leeks freeze well. I slice them first, then lay them on a cookie sheet. Slide the sheet in the oven for a couple of hours until they’re frozen, then scoop 'em up and put 'em in a freezer bag. They last for a good three months, longer if you have a deep freeze.
I haven’t tried it, but I want to. He says that they actually work better than onions because they have a lower moisture content so you don’t get that “slime layer” between the onion and the coating.
I use leeks all the time and commonly refer to them as the onion’s smarter brother. They are great in stirfries cut into strips about 2 inches long and 1/8 inch wide. I find that most people discard too much of the top of the leek because they want the white part only.
Leek Latkes are delicious. They’re great as an hors d’ouvre or as a main course. Be sure to squeeze some fresh lemon juice on them right before serving.
(Note - I haven’t tried the recipe in the link, but Aharoni is a pretty decent chef. I’d omit the parmesan, though).