I love to use leeks in place of regular onions in soups; they have a wonderful flavor

Here's a soup I make all the time.

Thick N' Hearty Chicken Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 leek, cleaned and chopped
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup AP flour
2 cups milk
1 10 3/4 oz can chicken broth (or your own home made)
12 oz chicken breast, chopped into bite size pieces; saute' until lightly browned in canola oil
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper

In a medium saucepan, cook carrots and leeks in hot butter about 10 mins or until tender but not browned. Stir in flour. Slowly add milk and chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken and cheese. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese melts. Serve hot.

Linda P

khandi, I'm glad you asked. I was about to post about leeks.

I am afraid of them...I remember growing up - my dad going looking for leeks - and all the talk about how your breath would smell for soooo long after eating them!

Are we talking different things here? wild ones that he would find vs. ones I picked up at the farm???

I've been afraid to use them! I don't remember what the ones he used to find looked like...

Here is a recipe for one of my all time favourite soups. So easy you can make for lunch yet so elegant you can serve at your fanciest dinner party. For a special soup I always use the blue cheese but for a nice family meal feel free to sub a good cheddar. This soup will not disappoint!

Leek And Stilton Soup

1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot chopped finely
1 cup leeks thinly sliced
1 cup potato, diced
2 cups chicken stock
1 to 1 1/2 cups cream
salt and pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
few drops lemon juice
2 oz stilton or other blue cheese

Melt butter, add shallot and leek cooking until soft but not browned.

Heat the chicken stock and add to the leeks, add the potatoes. Cook until potatoes are just tender. Cool and puree in the food processor.

Separately heat and reduce the cream. Stir in the blended leek mixture. Bring to a gentle boil. Add seasonings and lemon juice. Pour into bowls and top each with 1/2 ounce crumbled Stilton. ( I add the cheese to the actual soup ratyher than put on top)

Cut them lengthwise....gently wash any sand out....turn cut side down on papertowel to drain....then drizzle with oil...salt and pepper and grill....or oven roast..
Yummers!
Linda C

Khandi - I often steam sliced leeks along with other vegetables as well as put them into soups and stews.
We both love the subtle flavour even just with butter, salt and pepper.

Here's a good recipe using leeks that I have made and enjoyed:

Orange-Scented Broccoli and Leek Soup

6 - 8 servings

2 TBSP olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and light-green parts only)
6 cups chicken stock or vegetable-based chicken stock (low fat, low-sodium)
6 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 cup large-flake porridge oats
zest of 1 medium orange
1/2 teasp hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teasp salt
1/2 teasp pepper
2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy soup pot.
Cook the leeks for 7-8 minutes or until softened and golden brown.
Add stock, broccoli, oats, orange zest, hot pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

2. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Stir in milk; continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Serve each bowlful with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Source: The GI Diet...Rick Gallop

******************************

And here's another recipe for leek wrapped in ham and baked in a cheese sauce:

LEEKS AU GRATIN (Puerros Gratinados)

For 2 servings as a main dish or 4 as a side. Good as a diet recipe as it uses water for the bechamel.
No-fat turkey or chicken slices could be used instead of ham or bacon if you're trying to avoid fat.

4 leeks
4 slices cooked ham
4 slices cheese
grated cheese
3 TBS flour
2 TBS butter
salt

1) Top and tail the leeks, removing all the green stalks and wash well. (I don't. I measure the length of the casserole dish and cut the leek to size. I love having some green left on the end.) Cook in salted water for 15 minutes. Remove the leeks and put the cooking water to one side. (If using bacon, dice, fry and drain now.)

2) Wrap each leek in a slice of cheese, and then a slice of ham. Place in an ovenproof dish.

3) Meanwhile prepare a bechamel sauce: Melt 2 TBS butter in a saucepan. Add 3 TBS flour and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, slowly pour in some of the cooking water, making sure no lumps are formed. Cook for 5 minutes.

4) Pour the sauce over the leeks, sprinkle with grated cheese and grill to brown the cheese lightly.
Serve piping hot.

Source: Classic Tapas
Cordoba 2003

SharonCb

carrots and zucchinis are good enough for me. Leeks get soft too soon

(darfc)

We definitely wouldn't want anything limp would we?

B

I've got a recipe for a leek casserole that came out really good. It was like a frittata with leeks in an egg custard. It can be made with just leeks or leek and zucchini which is what I used. I can post it later if you are interested. It was pretty quick and easy.

Split and wash.

Brush both sides with bacon drippings.

Grill both sides over direct high coals until they start to brown.

Transfer to a foil pouch, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, wrap tightly, and move to a lower heat side of the grill to braise for about 10 minutes before serving.

stacy3--your dad was digging ramps, a powerful onion/garlic like plant actually related to lilies rather than onions. It just might be the state plant of WV. Ramp festivals and ramp suppers are common in the spring, and kids used to eat them raw so they'd be sent home from school (your body does reek of it if you eat a lot.) Domestic leeks have a very mild onion-like flavor and are a different food altogether.

Khandi...in case you don't see it on the WFD thread, here is a stewed lentil dish I made yesterday which uses the white parts of two medium-sized leeks. I always save and chop up the green upper leaf parts for steaming as an extra veg or putting in a soup or stew.

350 grams (1 1/2 cups) of small dark lentils
100 grams (3.5 oz) {{!gwi}} - lightly pricked over with tines of a fork
50 grams (1.7 oz) salted

1. Soak lentils the night before in water to cover (unless they are the fast-cooking variety)

2. Next day drain and rinse lentils, put aside.

3. Heat olive oil in heavy cooking pot. When sizzling, add carrots, garlic and leeks. Lightly brown while stirring.

4. Add 1 TBSP flour and keep stirring for about a minute.

5. Add lentils, beef broth, whole chorizo, tocino, laurel and rosemary

6. Put on lid and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Check after 1st hour and add up to 2 more cups water (or more) as needed.

7. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Source: Spanish Cooking program on TV

SharonCb

I just finished making a huge pot of Potato leek soup which came out delicious!!! Got the recipe from New England Soup Factory Cookbook

thanks laceyvail - you are right on target...thanks for the information. I remember leek suppers...I never ate them though, I was too afraid of stinking!!!

Thank you for all the tips. Daughter wants tomato leek soup, but I think I'll try potato leek soup instead since I have no tomatoes right now.

eileenlunonen, would love to have your recipe for the soup.

Thank you!

Chase, I made your Leek and Stilton Soup and we really liked it! I didn't have blue cheese so I used Cheddar. Thanks for the recipe.

Forgot to mention that I used 1/2 cup half-and-half cream instead of the 1 to 1-1/2 cups heavy cream.

Hubby and daughter devoured your soup, and they want me to make it again very soon!!!

Thanks for a keeper!

Any one can correct me if I'm wrong in my assumption but from what I've experienced thus far in my neophyte experience with leeks is that they almost substitute for onion and pureed potato. They have a lovely light onion flavor but lend a creamy texture much like a pureed potato might. Which makes them a wonderful addition to soups or as a stand alone addition as a base under a protein (ala a meat perched on 'creamed' leeks). Again I could be mistaken but they come across to me as versatile as shallots are to onion/garlic afficiandos.

Chicken soup with rice and leeks is part of our traditional Christmas night dinner but there are so many other ways I use them:

slced and sauteed with fresh asparagus cut in about inch and a half pieces

leeks and sliced mushrooms cooked in a packet on the grill

added to scalloped potatoes

crab, leek and brie omelets

from Molly O'Neil's New York Cookbook, Fish and Leeks, leeks and tomatoes served on a bed of creamed leeks

leek and spinach quiche

Wegman's grocery stores now sell recipe-ready bags of cleaned and trimmed leeks.

Lacyvail all of the onion family are lilies. Leeks, onions, shallots, garlic. I'm not sure but I think even chives! I get wild onions in my very shady yard. I wonder if they are ramps? They get a pretty white star shaped flower on them.

SharonCB Thanks for that great looking Leek & Broccoli soup. I just entered the ingredients on the WeightWatchers site 'Recipe Builder' so I could see how many points it would add up to. At 8 servings its only 3 points per serving! I will try it tomorrow if I can get the leeks. I picked up Broccoli at the farmers market today and the rest is in my pantry. I may substitute sweet vidalia onions if the leeks are not available. What do you think? By the way, I love the pictures in your posts. - M

Glad you and the family enjoyed the soup Khandi. I made it today for a late lunch at the cottage, so heart warming and yummy...best part easy!

Mimsic....Yes that recipe comes from a low glycemic index cookbook, designed to keep your weight and sugar levels down. I have to say that I've never had a sweet vidalia onion....I think they are only available in the USA, but as long as they have a sweet and mild onion flavour I would think they would be really good in this recipe.

I hope you can find leeks though....we have them almost every day and love their flavour! Let us know how you make out with the soup. Thank you also for the kind comment re photos.

SharonCb

granjan, I too get wild onions in my yard, but ramps are very different, with a very large, flat leaf, and they never flower. They're quite slow to increase.

Here is a site with photos which identifies ramps as wild leeks, and another one at the link below.
The first site shows them with white flowers.

SharonCb

Here is a link that might be useful: More about Ramps

I made the leek and broccoli soup tonight. I used a vegetable broth (Imagine No Chicken Broth)since I don't mix meat with dairy. And I zested a tangerine instead of the orange because I had tangerines. The soup was creamy, thick and I am sure it will be a wonderful comfort food in the dead of winter. It was a hit with both husband and son - Not so the filet of flounder I served as the main course. To tell you the truth, this soup should be a meal in itself, with some crusty bread and a salad. Anyway, the flounder, I rarely buy this fish but thought it would be a nice light follow-up for the leeks and broccoli. Well now I remember why I don't do flounder. It is too light, too bland and really needs a stiff breading to make anything of it. I tried a quick poaching in a too sweet tangerine juice with cilantro. What was I thinking. The whole thing went in the garbage. Ugh! I did make very nice zucchini though. Thank goodness (and Canarybird) for the soup.

If I'm not using leeks in a recipe I like to braise them. They are excellent with any grilled or roasted meat. Lightly brown washed and dried leeks, white part only, in a skillet with butter. Add a small amount of chicken stock, cover and cook over low heat until just tender.

I made Linda's Thick and Hearty Chicken and Cheese Soup last night. Homegrown leeks and carrots and chicken, but when the carrots and leeks were sauteeing, I realized I was out of milk so I replaced it with about 3/4 cup half and half and Stoneyfields Farm yogurt. It was still delicious! Thanks for the recipe.