I think leeks are underappreciated by most and even intimidating to some people. They are featured in many recipes and restaurant dishes as an aromatic base flavor, but until my Brazilian friend Paolo served them to me this way, I’d never seen them as a proper side dish standing all on their own. They are part of the onion family and, as with onions, slow cooking will bring out their natural sugars. Patience is a real virtue here. Cook them too fast, over heat that’s too high, and they will burn. Slow, gentle heat will produce meltingly soft and sweet leeks that can be twirled on a fork like spaghetti. I love these with beef dishes such as Filets Mignons with Sweet Balsamic Reduction (page 108) or Flank Steak with Lime Marinade (page 105).
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Trim the leeks and cut them in half lengthwise. Run them under cold running water, using your fingers to gently pull open the layers to rinse away the sand. Shake the excess water from the leeks and use a sharp knife to thinly slice the leeks lengthwise into long, thin strips.
Step 2
In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the leeks. If you cannot add all the leeks at once, add them in batches and use tongs to gently turn them as they cook, bringing the leeks on the bottom of the pan to the top as they reduce in volume to make more room.
Step 3
Once all of the leeks have been added to the pan, cook gently, stirring occasionally, until they are soft enough to be twirled on a fork like spaghetti, 18 to 20 minutes. Add a little more butter or oil if necessary.
Step 4
Serve, drizzling a little reduced balsamic vinegar over each portion, if desired.
