A French classic, whole leeks are cooked, drained, and then marinated in a Dijon vinaigrette.
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Ah the noble leek, often the bridesmaid, rarely the bride. Leek Vinaigrette is a classic French recipe that honors the leek itself.
Served at room temperature, the leeks make a lovely salad or side dish. And since they love a long marinating time, they’re perfect for making ahead.
This recipe is from my French Guy (that’s “Gee” with a hard “g”) who grew up eating poireaux vinaigrette in France. He made it for my mom’s 78th birthday last week, which we served as a first course with a Lasagna Bolognese (so good!).
He also roasted red peppers and served them with the leeks, which tasted wonderful together.
Funny thing about the leek green. Recipes almost always say “Use only the white and pale green parts,” but the green tips are packed with flavor.
We often use spring onion greens in recipes. It’s similar to using more of the dark green tips of the leeks.
They’re a bit tougher than the white and pale green parts, but if you cook them like this method, they should become tender as they cook.
Leek vinaigrette
Choose leeks that are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and have a long, white and pale green stem.
ingredients
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6 long leeks (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
method
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Heat a pot with water, clean the leek:
Bring a large, wide (12 inch) pot half full of salted water (2 teaspoons salt for 2 liters of water) to a boil. While the water is heating, trim the leeks, leaving them whole.
To do this, first rinse off the visible dirt from the leek. Then, use the tip of a sharp knife to pierce the leeks just below where the stalk of the leek opens into individual leaves.
Cut the leeks from this point to the tip of the green leaves, leaving the stem whole.
Open the leaves and run the leeks under running water to remove any dirt or sand that may be hiding between the leaves.
Trim off the dark green tips, leaving about an inch or two (or three if you like the more flavored greens) on the stem.
Trim the roots, slicing as close to the roots as possible to hold the leeks together while they simmer in the next step. (See Clean Leeks for step-by-step visual instructions.)
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Simmer the leeks in salted water:
As soon as the water boils, carefully add the cleaned and prepared leek to the water.
Return to a simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Start a timer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thickest leeks can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
When your leeks are about 1 inch thick, they should turn from light green to olive green by the 8 minute mark. Thicker leeks should be cooked a little longer.
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Place cooked leeks in ice water bath:
Using tongs, carefully remove the leeks from the pot and place them in an ice water bath to stop cooking.
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Drain leek:
Remove the leek from the ice water bath and drain. The best way to drain them is to place them in a rimmed skillet and then tilt the pan to allow the water to drain out of the leeks.
Drain for about 10 minutes while you prepare the vinaigrette.
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Make the vinaigrette:
In a glass, combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper and beat until well emulsified.
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Marinate the leeks in the vinaigrette:
Place the leeks in a oblong, rimmed serving bowl (a Pyrex casserole dish would also work for this). Drizzle some vinaigrette over the leeks. Gently flip the leeks and drizzle some more vinaigrette on the other side.
Cover with cling film and let the leeks marinate in the vinaigrette for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. (Refrigerate if marinating for more than 2 hours.
The longer they marinate, the tastier and more tender they will be.)
The leek should be served at room temperature.
Alternate serving: Cut the marinated leeks crosswise into 1″ (2.5cm) pieces and serve with strips of roasted red peppers marinated in the same vinaigrette.
Links:
Leek with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette at Blue Kitchen
