Leek Fritters with Garlic
(The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast by Jeff Smith. The author says of this recipe: “No wonder the Children of Israel were so upset that they had no leeks or garlic during the flight from Egypt to the New Land”.)

4 cups cleaned thinly sliced leeks (white part only)
1 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 T chopped fresh parsley
3 eggs, beaten
1 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for frying

Heat a large frying pan and add the oil, garlic and leeks.  Saute quickly over high heat for 3 minutes.  Remove to a bowl to cool.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together.
Heat a large frying pan and add the oil for frying.  Measure out 1/2-cup quantities of the fritter mixture and add to the hot pan.  Flatten slightly and fry over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.  You will have to do this in several batches so there is ample room in the frying pan.  Add more oil if necessary.  Serve hot.

LEEK AND CARROT SAUTÉ  (New Family Cookbook)
Serves 6 to 8
Easy preparation for two humble winter vegetables makes a nice side dish.

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 leeks, white and pale green part, sliced
3 Tbs. butter or olive oil
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Sauté the garlic and leeks in the butter or olive oil. Add the sliced carrots, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 to 8 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Leek & Potato Soup (Cook’s Garden)

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups well washed & coarsely chopped Leeks (white & light green parts only)
4 cups chopped potatoes

-Melt 4 tablespoons butter with 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
-Add 4 cups coarsely chopped Leeks, and stirring frequently, cook 5 minutes.
-Add 4 cups chopped potatoes, season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
-Add enough water or stock to cover and simmer on low heat until potatoes are soft, about 45 minutes.
-Remove from the heat, puree in a blender, adding 1/2 cup cream, if desired.  

  NEW RECIPES FOR 2009

VEGETABLE LEEK MEDLEY  Nourishing Traditions Sally Fallon

2 medium leeks
2 zucchini
2 carrots
1 bell pepper
4 T butter
sea salt & pepper

The secret of this dish is to cut veggies into uniformally small pieces.
Cleans leeks, slice crosswise at ¼” intervals & set aside. Cut ends of squash & make thick peelings of the skin; then cut skin into a fine julienne & set aside. (Save innards for soup). Peel carrots & slice into a fine julienne. Seed pepper & cut into thin 1” strips. Saute carrots & leeks in butter. When just tender, add pepper & cook 1 minute. Finally, add zucchini & sauté another minute. Season to taste.

MUSHROOM AND LEEK SOUP WITH THYME CREAM
Epicurious | November 2007 Rick Rodgers
Although this soup is full of earthy flavor, it's also relatively light, which makes it a perfect first course for the big holiday meal. As a bonus, it can be prepared several days ahead and quickly reheated at the last minute. Serves 8

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (10 1/2 cups)
3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 1/2 cups)
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Using electric mixer, beat cream just until soft peaks form. Fold in 2 teaspoons thyme. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors. (Thyme cream can be made up to 1 day ahead. If cream separates, whisk until soft peaks re-form.) Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving to come to room temperature.
In 4-quart stock pot over moderately high heat, heat 2 tablespoons butter until hot but not smoking. Working in 2 batches (add 2 more tablespoons butter before second batch), cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. In same stock pot over moderate heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in leeks, cover, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cooked mushrooms, sprinkle with flour, and stir until flour is evenly distributed. Stir in stock, then salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Bring to boil, stirring often, then reduce heat to low, set lid ajar, and simmer 20 minutes. (Soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, covered. Reheat before serving.) Divide soup among 8 bowls and top each portion with dollop of thyme cream. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH LEEKS, SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, AND TRUFFLES
Bon Appétit | September 2007 Gabriel Rucker Le Pigeon in Portland, OR
Makes 6-8 first-course servings

Leeks:
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup whipping cream
Mushrooms:
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Risotto:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups (or more) hot vegetable broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons shaved or chopped black truffle (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley

For leeks:
Bring leeks and cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are tender and cream is thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are tender and light brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For risotto:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in leek mixture, mushroom mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and truffle. Transfer to large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

HORSERADISH CREAMED LEEKS
Gourmet | March 1990
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.   Serves 2

the white and pale green part of 4 leeks (about 1 pound), trimmed, left whole, and each leek slit down one side to within 1 inch of the base
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon drained bottled horseradish, or to taste
3 tablespoons grated Gruyère
In a large bowl of cold water fan out the leaves of the leaks and rinse them well until there is no grit. In a large skillet heat the butter over moderate heat until the foam begins to subside, add the leeks, patted dry, and toss them to coat them with the butter. Add the broth and the cream, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the leeks are very tender. Transfer the leeks with a slotted spatula to a gratin dish. Stir the horseradish into the liquid remaining in the skillet and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the leeks, sprinkle it with Gruyère, and broil the leeks under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until the cheese is golden.

BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH LEEKS AND GREEN OLIVES
Epicurious | November 2007 Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food
"This especially satisfying one-pan dish is delicious served with soft polenta, mashed potatoes, or shell beans. Good choices for the green olives are unpitted Lucques or Picholines."
Makes 4 servings

4 duck legs (drumsticks and thighs, attached)
Salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, washed and coarsely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 thyme sprigs, leaves only
6 parsley sprigs, leaves only
1 bay leaf
1 cup green olives
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 strip of lemon zest

Trim the excess fat from duck legs. Several hours ahead or the night before, season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In an ovenproof skillet just large enough to hold the duck legs comfortably, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks and carrot. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in additional salt, thyme, parsley sprigs, bay leaf, and olives. Cook for 3 more minutes. Place the duck legs in the skillet, skin side down. Add to the skillet white wine and chicken broth with lemon zest.  The liquid should be about 1 inch deep; add more liquid if needed. Raise the heat, bring to a simmer, and immediately put the skillet in the oven. After 30 minutes, take the pan from the oven and turn the legs skin side up. If necessary, pour off and reserve some of the liquid so that all the duck skin is exposed. Turn the oven down to 325°F and continue cooking for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. The duck is done when the skin is browned and the tip of a knife slips easily in and out of the meat. Set the duck legs aside and pour the braising juices and vegetables into a small bowl. Allow the liquid to settle, then skim off and discard the fat. The duck legs will render a surprising amount of fat. Taste for salt and correct the seasoning if needed. If it's too thin, reduce the braising liquid to concentrate it. Pour the liquid and vegetables back into the skillet with the duck legs on top. Just before serving, return to a simmer and reheat for a few minutes.

Variations
· Pitted olives can be substituted, but use fewer, about 1/2 cup, and don't add them to the braise until the last 15 minutes of cooking.
· Substitute dry sherry for half the wine.
· Substitute dried fruit such as prunes or figs for the olives. Use red wine instead of white and add a piece of bacon or pancetta to the braise. Omit the lemon zest.
· Substitute chicken legs for the duck legs. Reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes.

LEEK AND WILD MUSHROOM STUFFING
Bon Appétit | November 2002
The porcini mushroom soaking liquid moistens this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres.
Makes 10 to 12 servings

1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms*
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 8-ounce French-bread baguettes, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Combine 1 1/2 cups hot water and dried porcini in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to work surface; chop finely. Pour mushroom soaking liquid into small bowl, leaving any sediment behind, and reserve.
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake and button mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and porcini mushrooms. Cook until almost all wine evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover mushroom mixture and porcini soaking liquid separately and chill. Reheat mushroom mixture to lukewarm before continuing.) Transfer mixture to very large bowl.
Mix bread into mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.

To bake stuffing in turkey:
Loosely fill main cavity and neck cavity of turkey with stuffing. Add enough mushroom soaking liquid to remaining stuffing to moisten slightly (1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish — alongside turkey or while turkey is resting — until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing in dish. Bake until top of stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

To bake stuffing in dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough reserved mushroom soaking liquid to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 40 minutes.

SEARED RAINBOW CHARD WITH LEEKS
Gourmet | August 2000
Makes 8 servings

2 (1-lb) bunches rainbow chard or red and green Swiss chard
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Cut stems from chard (if leaves are large, cut out coarse portions of rib), then cut stems crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack chard leaves and roll into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-thick strips of leaves.
Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté chard stems and leeks with sea salt and pepper to taste, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add chard leaves and continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until wilted. (If greens begin to brown before they wilt, sprinkle with a few drops of water.)

LEEK AND SWISS CHARD TART
Bon Appétit | October 1999
Savory tarts and quiches are traditional in Alsace cooking. The tart and theSalade Vigneronne can be enjoyed as separate courses, or together.   Makes 8 servings

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
2 tablespoons butter
3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 1/4 cups whipping cream
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Roll out pastry on floured work surface to 12-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold under; crimp edges. Cover; chill.
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chard; saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Whisk cream and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in cooled leek mixture. Pour filling into crust.
Bake tart 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until filling is puffed and just set in center, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes.

LEEK AND CHEESE QUICHE  allrecipes.com
Serves 8

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups sliced leeks
1 (9 inch) frozen pie crust, thawed
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 tomato, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the leeks until tender. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie crust.
In a bowl, toss together the Swiss cheese, Romano cheese, and flour. Spread over the leeks.
In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and heavy cream. Pour over the cheese layer in the pie crust. Top with the tomato slices, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue baking 30 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center of the quiche comes out clean.