Creamed Leeks Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay cook leeks? ›

Season leeks with soy, maple, sesame oil, and mirin. Top with sliced garlic and a few knobs of butter around the outside of the pan. Add just enough stock to cover leeks halfway, bring to a boil and pop into over to roast until caramelized and tender when pierced with a knife.

To cook: Leeks can be boiled, braised or steamed. Sliced leeks should be cooked for 5-7 minutes until tender but still firm. Whole small leeks should be cooked for 10-15 minutes until tender but still firm, top with a cheese sauce and then brown under a preheated grill for 5 minutes or until golden.

When leeks are sliced or chopped, they can be used in place of onions or shallots in soups, stews, and casseroles. You can also showcase their subtle, sweet flavor in pasta dishes like our Red Lentil Rotini with Silken Leeks and Shiitakes or Vegan Penne with Artichokes, Leeks, and Lentils.

Put a large casserole-type pan (ideally one you'd be happy to serve in) on a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil, the butter, thyme leaves and garlic. Cook until it begins to bubble and fry, then stir in the leeks. Continue cooking and checking on it every few minutes to stir and make sure it doesn't catch.

Before cooking, it's important to thoroughly wash leeks as dirt and grit often gets trapped between the layers of leaves as they grow.

Mostly just the white and light green parts are eaten, though the darker green parts have plenty of flavor and can either be cooked longer to tenderize them, or used when making homemade soup stock.

Leeks taste like a mild, sweet onion, but with their own distinctive twist. It's hard to describe a specific flavor beyond onion-like, but once you've had leeks, you'll recognize the differences between them. Let's put it this way: shallots and onions taste much more alike other than leeks and onions do.

The most edible parts of leeks are the bottom white and light green parts because they are tender and have the most flavor. The dark green parts are technically edible but to a lesser extent because they are quite tough. If you do want to eat the dark green parts, be sure to saute them well so they soften.

Leeks should never be browned, or overcooked, because it will turn them into slimy mush. Instead, cook them until they are tender. They need to be cooked carefully and with a watchful eye because it's easy to undercook and overcook them.

Caramelization on the bottom: Use a fork to check if the leeks are indeed golden on the bottom and if they are, gently flip them over and cook on the other side for another 10 minutes or until golden.

How do you know when leeks are done cooking? ›

It's truly simple once you've cut them! Heat some olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium high heat, then add the leeks. Cook them, stirring often, until they are just soft and just before they begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Keep your eye on them, because they can easily get browned if the heat is too high!

Additionally, leeks contain high levels of oxalates, which can bind to calcium and other minerals in the gut and cause health problems for people who are prone to oxalate kidney stones. It is generally safe to eat moderate amounts of leeks as part of a balanced diet.

Nutrition. In terms of what's good for you, both leeks and green onions have tons of vitamins and nutrients, but overall, leeks are more nutrient dense, with more fiber, and much more of manganese, Vitamin K, Beta Carotene & Iron.

Leeks are a rich source of antioxidants, particularly polyphenols and sulfur compounds. Antioxidants fight oxidation, which damages your cells and contributes to illnesses like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

The common wisdom is that leek greens are so tough, they should only be used to make stock. I agree that leek greens are great to throw into stock, but that's far from their only use. Yes, the fact is that they are tough. But you know what makes tough things tender?

Leeks are the mildest of the onion family and really shine when they're cooked, offering a lovely subtlety to dishes and a delicate, melty texture.

In the US, England, and most other English-speaking areas, the dark green portion of the leek is fibrous and often has a "soapy" flavor which detracts from the flavor of the dish. It's not a good idea even to use those for vegetable stock, as the overall flavor is unpleasant.