Leeks Vinaigrette
By Andrea GearyPublished on September 28, 2021
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You can use almost any unseeded bread for the bread crumbs; if you're using a rustic loaf, remove the crust before grinding in a food processor. This dish is usually served on its own as a starter, but it could also work as an accompaniment to a simple fish or chicken main course. For a bistro-style lunch for two, omit the bread crumbs and top the dressed leeks with two chopped hard-cooked eggs and two slices of crumbled crispy bacon; serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine.
Instructions
- Trim roots from leeks, leaving base intact so layers stay together. Starting 1 inch above base, halve leeks lengthwise (they'll still be joined at base). Rinse thoroughly between layers to remove any dirt. Tie halves of each leek together with kitchen twine about 2 inches from top.
- Bring 3 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add leeks and 3 tablespoons salt and return to boil. Adjust heat to maintain simmer. Cover and cook until area just above base can be pierced easily with paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Using tongs, grasp 1 leek close to base and hold vertically over pot to drain briefly. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and repeat with remaining leeks. Let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. While leeks cool, make crumbs and vinaigrette.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Off heat, sprinkle with Parmesan and let sit until crumbs are just warm, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon parsley and pepper and stir, breaking up any clumps.
- Whisk vinegar, mustard, 1 tablespoon water, and garlic in small bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, drizzle in remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Squeeze leeks over sink to remove excess water. Remove twine and finish cutting leeks in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into thirds (do not remove bases of leeks; they're delicious). Spread half of vinaigrette over bottom of serving platter. Arrange leeks on platter, cut side up, opening layers slightly. Drizzle evenly with remaining vinaigrette. (Dressed leeks can be covered loosely and stored at room temperature for up to 3 hours.) Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture and serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Leeks are part of the onion family, but when they're cooked, their flavor is sweeter and milder than that of their pungent relations, making them a great base for a starter or side dish. We started by trimming away the dark-green tops and then halved each leek lengthwise, leaving the base intact, so we could rinse away any grit concealed between the layers. Though some recipes call for steaming the leeks to prevent their becoming waterlogged, we preferred simmering them in heavily salted water because it enabled us to get seasoning all the way to their bases. Tying up each leek with a piece of kitchen twine prevented the layers from splaying out and becoming detached as they cooked, and a brief squeeze after cooling removed any excess water. A punchy, mustardy vinaigrette, served both under and atop the leeks, balanced their sweet creaminess, and crispy bread crumbs spiked with a little bit of Parmesan for added savor and richness provided a pleasing textural contrast to the tender leeks.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
You can use almost any unseeded bread for the bread crumbs; if you're using a rustic loaf, remove the crust before grinding in a food processor. This dish is usually served on its own as a starter, but it could also work as an accompaniment to a simple fish or chicken main course. For a bistro-style lunch for two, omit the bread crumbs and top the dressed leeks with two chopped hard-cooked eggs and two slices of crumbled crispy bacon; serve with crusty bread and a glass of wine.
Instructions
- Trim roots from leeks, leaving base intact so layers stay together. Starting 1 inch above base, halve leeks lengthwise (they'll still be joined at base). Rinse thoroughly between layers to remove any dirt. Tie halves of each leek together with kitchen twine about 2 inches from top.
- Bring 3 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add leeks and 3 tablespoons salt and return to boil. Adjust heat to maintain simmer. Cover and cook until area just above base can be pierced easily with paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Using tongs, grasp 1 leek close to base and hold vertically over pot to drain briefly. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and repeat with remaining leeks. Let sit until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. While leeks cool, make crumbs and vinaigrette.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Off heat, sprinkle with Parmesan and let sit until crumbs are just warm, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon parsley and pepper and stir, breaking up any clumps.
- Whisk vinegar, mustard, 1 tablespoon water, and garlic in small bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, drizzle in remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Squeeze leeks over sink to remove excess water. Remove twine and finish cutting leeks in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into thirds (do not remove bases of leeks; they're delicious). Spread half of vinaigrette over bottom of serving platter. Arrange leeks on platter, cut side up, opening layers slightly. Drizzle evenly with remaining vinaigrette. (Dressed leeks can be covered loosely and stored at room temperature for up to 3 hours.) Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture and serve.
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