LEEKS

[danemodsandy]

Tom:

There was ramp everything at the festival, and it may be that the preparation method has something to do with the effect. Then too, there were a fair number of macho types noshing on raw ramps as well. Wives were doing a great deal of eye-rolling, and I'd be willing to be some of them exiled Hubby to the couch that night.

 

[foraloysius]

Recipe

Oh my, I always play that by ear. I use a low pie dish and put pastry on the bottom and the sides. Make small holes in the bottom with a fork and put some breadcrumbs on the bottom. Stir fry a good amount of leek. (I only use the green below where the leeks split. On inner parts the split is higher than on the outer parts. The harder green parts are hard to digest). Add some herbs like tyme. You can also add sun dried tomatoes or other things you like to go with leek like red peppers. In the end I add the diced smoked chicken. As an alternative you can use ham or bacon, but I don't eat pork, find smoked chicken a good alternative. Put the mixture in the pie form. Add a liaison of three eggs and some cream with salt and pepper to taste. You can add some cheese to the liaison too if you like. Poor it evenly over the leek mixture and put grated cheese on top of the pie. Put it in the oven, I think I put it for an hour on 175 degrees Celcius, but you will have to check a while before the end of the hour.

Bon appetit!

 

[58limited]

Thank you Louis.

 

[tomturbomatic]

So it is like a Quiche or as some call it, a quickie.

 

[foraloysius]

Yes, it is indeed like a quiche.

 

[bajaespuma]

Bullwinkle's kulture korner

The word "Leek" is older than the hills.

 

It is the root of the "lic" in garlic, the "lauch" in the German "Knoblauch" and was a standard food in classical Rome. Nero chomped on them to have a deepening effect on the timbre of his voice (that was reported by his detractors, while they were still alive, to be shrill, high-pitched and "womanly"). Leeks are one of the mainstays of Northern European cooking, especially French, German and Scandinavian. "Lok" or "loch" is the Nordic root of the word for all the onions; my Swedish aunt used to make a delicious "lokdomar"(stuffed onions). Leeks figured widely in British culture and even had roles in a couple of Shakespeare plays. When you cook with leeks, you are giving yourself a lot of Iron, B-Vitamins and other significant nutrients. Leek and Potato soup, hot or cold, is a delicious classic (but, IMO, always gets a huge improvement with the addition of some heavy cream).

 

Leeks had fallen out of use in the last half of the twentieth century, as processed foods won out over actually cooking dinner. They are coming back. They never left professional kitchens as they have been indispensable in the preparation of the fonds, or stock bases of every imaginable variety.

 

[maytagbear]

This is just me.......

but I cut up the leeks in whatever manner the recipe calls for, and THEN I wash them.

I dry the cut leeks in a lot of paper towels before proceeding....making sure they are dry, dry, dry.

Yes, one might lose a bit of water soluble flavor, but I prefer to run that particular risk than to crunch sand between my teeth.

The French used to call leeks "The asparagus of the poor," but I don't think that has ever applied here in the States!

Leeks are much milder than almost all other members of the onion family. However, ramps are much stronger, at least to me.

Leeks are the emblem of Wales, and since I am of 50% Welsh heritage, I am more than somewhat passionate about leeks.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[ovrphil]

Welsh

Lawrence - I read that about the Welsh and Leeks - and nothing to do with the Leeks, but I love the Welsh Naitonal Anthem....particularly sung at this event:



which gets me ready for some Leeks!

 

[tomturbomatic]

ready for some Leeks!

Well, to quote Arlene Francis (born Arlene Francis Kazanjian), "First you take a leek."

 

[bajaespuma]

I'm impressed.