Yes, I know leeks in white sauce are absolutely yum! BUT does anyone have any ideas for using leeks in healthy recipes that a family would like? Thanks.

garden_art - 2011-07-24 21:02:00

leek and potato soup?

countrybumpkinz - 2011-07-24 21:06:00

Thanks but made Leek and Potato soup from a proper recipe and it didn't go down well with anyone except me - apparently it was bland ;-(

garden_art - 2011-07-24 21:11:00

Okay I got this recipe from a lady at work - it's from an English cookbook, so I basically skipped the first part and just used fresh smoked fish - will work equally well with tinned fish. It sounds really odd - particularly the poached egg bit, but it's yummy - mr 10 and mr 5 myself and DH really liked it - only mr 8 (who is fussy at the best of times) did rate it. Give it a go:

SMOKED HADDOCK and PEA RISOTTO
4 x 142g/5oz smoked haddock fillets
1.2 litres/2pt fish stock
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large leek, washed and finely chopped
255g/9oz dried risotto rice
397g/14oz fresh or frozen peas
100g/3 ½ Oz fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
4 large eggs

1. Place the haddock in a large saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and a1low the fish to sit in the water, covered, for 12-15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Bring the stock to the boil in a large pan over a medium heat, then turn the heat down as low as It will go to keep the stock hot but without letting it reduce.
3. Place 198ml/7fl oz of the warmed stock in another large pan, add the onion and leek and cook for 3-4 minutes until they have softened. Add the rice and stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peas and spinach.
4. Pour in the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, and keep stirring until each ladleful is absorbed. Keep adding the stock, stirring as often as possible until the rice is al dente (tender but still retaining a bite) — this should take about 20 minutes.
5. Skin and flake the haddock into large bite-sized pieces and gently stir it into the rice. Keep the risotto warm white you poach the eggs.
6. Divide the risotto between four plates top each serving with a poached egg and serve immediately.

gemini007 - 2011-07-24 21:54:00

A nice fish pie, use the search function to locate. Very simple and always demolished.

Oh, have a look also in the thread "Family Favourite Soup recipes", the first one is tops.

Cheers.

Edited by valentino at 7:39 am, Mon 25 Jul

valentino - 2011-07-25 07:38:00

Add them to a potato bake recipe

rainrain1 - 2011-07-25 09:20:00

This message was deleted.

blt10 - 2011-07-25 09:22:00

Do you make the leeks in white? Cheese sauce using the leek cooking water? This is Wayyy better than with all milk!!

lx4000 - 2011-07-25 09:42:00

Leeks, especially smaller ones, are reallly good in a stir-fried vegetable medley with broccoli or aded to your favourite stirfried beef or chicken recipe. I add them to casseroles, layer them into scalloped potatoes and cook them with tomatoes, onions and courgettes.

greerg - 2011-07-26 16:40:00

Very easy and delicious:

Beef, Leek and Vinegar Braise

3 large leeks in thick slices
2 tab olive oil
700g stewing beef in large chunks
2 tab flour
1 tsp salt
pepper
4 tab balsamic vinegar
750 ml water

Brown beef in oil, add leeks and stir 5 min. Add flour, salt and pepper, stir 5 min.

Add vinegar and stir to deglaze, gradually add 500 ml water. Cover and simmer about 3 hours until the meat is very tender. Add more water if necessary.

davidt4 - 2011-07-26 16:44:00

Feta and Caramelised Leek Börek (Turkish)

makes 24

3 leeks, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
10g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
200ml chicken stock
bay leaf
200g feta. crumbled
50g fresh oregano, finely chopped
8 sheets filo pastry
melted butter for brushing
2 tbsp mixture of poppy and black sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7.
 
Sauté the leeks, garlic and sugar in the butter and olive oil for 4–5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the stock and bay leaf, and season. Cook until reduced to a mushy consistency. Take off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a bowl and combine with the feta cheese and oregano.
Working with one sheet of filo pastry at a time, spread it out and cut lengthwise into thirds. Keep the pastry covered with a damp tea towel while you're not using it. Each strip will make one börek.
Brush the pastry with the melted butter and place a tablespoon of filling across the corner of one end. Fold this corner up and over to form a triangle, then over again, and so on until you have a triangular pastry parcel. Repeat this process with the rest of the pastry and filling. Arrange the böreks on a tray. Brush them with more melted butter and sprinkle with the seeds. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

An alternative is to make the filling, omit the filo, and serve grilled haloumi on the warm leek mixture.

davidt4 - 2011-07-26 16:47:00

I made something a bit different for dinner last night.. a 'make again' goody.. add leeks to these veges, or use leeks by themselves with the garlic and fresh ginger.. finishing with the lemon juice..

Sauté freshly grated ginger and garlic and a sliced onion.

Simmer/steam till as tender/firm as you want: swede, carrots and yams..

When the veges are almost cooked, add sliced cabbage to the garlic & ginger mix, and saute till as crisp as you prefer.
Strain veges if needed, back on the side of the element with the lid off to let steam escape.
Toss through the garlic & ginger mix
Add the freshly squeezed juice of 1 or 2 lemons (I think limes would be nice too)
Toss through.. and serve with chopped fresh parsley sprinkled over the top..

I think kumara, parsnips, etc would be nice too - and some fresh or canned pineapple pieces.. Brussels Sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.. as well..

juliewn - 2011-07-27 05:33:00

davidt4 wrote:

Feta and Caramelised Leek Börek (Turkish)

makes 24

3 leeks, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
10g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
200ml chicken stock
bay leaf
200g feta. crumbled
50g fresh oregano, finely chopped
8 sheets filo pastry
melted butter for brushing
2 tbsp mixture of poppy and black sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7.
 
Sauté the leeks, garlic and sugar in the butter and olive oil for 4–5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add the stock and bay leaf, and season. Cook until reduced to a mushy consistency. Take off the heat and remove the bay leaf. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a bowl and combine with the feta cheese and oregano.
Working with one sheet of filo pastry at a time, spread it out and cut lengthwise into thirds. Keep the pastry covered with a damp tea towel while you're not using it. Each strip will make one börek.
Brush the pastry with the melted butter and place a tablespoon of filling across the corner of one end. Fold this corner up and over to form a triangle, then over again, and so on until you have a triangular pastry parcel. Repeat this process with the rest of the pastry and filling. Arrange the böreks on a tray. Brush them with more melted butter and sprinkle with the seeds. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown.

An alternative is to make the filling, omit the filo, and serve grilled haloumi on the warm leek mixture.

OMG - that sound delish!!! How much sugar do you use???

gemini007 - 2011-07-27 10:31:00

No sugar. The leeks contain their own sweetness (same as onions) and will become soft and sweet when they are cooked down.

davidt4 - 2011-07-27 10:37:00

davidt4 wrote:

 
Sauté the leeks, garlic and sugar in the butter and olive oil for 4–5 minutes, constantly stirring.

Oh - I was a bit confused. Thanks!

gemini007 - 2011-07-27 12:18:00

Sorry - the reference to sugar should have been deleted.

davidt4 - 2011-07-27 13:18:00

leek ideas ..

bev00 - 2012-07-26 22:36:00

we cook ours in butter and add a bit of blue cheese - yum

or we have cooked in butter and added chopped bacon

mommabean - 2012-07-28 20:47:00

LEEK TIME AGAIN ..

bev00 - 2013-07-28 23:27:00

This message was deleted.

elliehen - 2013-07-29 00:09:00

White sauce is terrible. Cheese sauce is the way to go.
I use leeks in chicken and leek pie. Even better, chicken, leek and mushroom pie.
Made cheese souffles for lunch, served on sauted leeks. Mmm.

lythande1 - 2013-07-29 08:18:00

Some recipes worth saving ...

winnie231 - 2014-07-29 19:41:00

My favourite Leek recipe. Butter, cream and cheese is healthy right?

http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/leek-and-dorset-blue-vin
ny-tart/

Edited by wheelmann at 8:07 pm, Tue 29 Jul

wheelmann - 2014-07-29 20:07:00

My regular Frittata recipe

Toadies Frittata
1 leek sliced in halved rinsed and chopped in slices (Half moons)
1 large potato cut into 1cm cubes
4 rashers bacon sliced
Dash of ricebran oil
8 Eggs - Beaten with S&P to taste.

I fry the leek, potato and bacon in the dash of oil till half cooked - then I have a square silicone baker I spread the mixture into. Pour over the egg mix.

Now this is what makes it extra special - sprinkle it with grated cheese and a mix of sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds. Bake for approx. 30 mins.

Its delicious and even meat and vege hubby loves it as it has a taste of "Bacon & Egg Pie" without all the pastry.

Edited by toadfish at 6:44 am, Thu 31 Jul

toadfish - 2014-07-31 06:43:00

I made some roesti with leeks the other day - looked similar to this here:
http://steamykitchen.com/10829-potato-and-leek-rosti.html

Here are 10 more recipes:
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/01/leek-rec
ipes-10-best

uli - 2015-07-29 17:01:00

I do a dish very similar to this - my recipe is Julie Buiso one - I just love her cooking. This is very similar:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/health/nutrition/20recipeh
ealth.html?_r=0

awoftam - 2015-07-29 18:01:00

Todays recipe on "Bite":
Hot smoked salmon, leek and potato pie by Ray McVinnie

This is as easy as pie, as they say. Use a flaky pastry that is made with butter as I find it tastes and performs better than pastry made with other fat.

Ingredients
600 g Agria potatoes, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 large Leek, white part only, thinly sliced
½ Preserved lemon, peel only, finely diced, or you can use the zest of 1 lemon
400 g Butter puff pastry
200 g Salmon, hot-smoked, skinned and boned, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 Egg, beaten
150 ml Cream
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp Chopped dill
3 Tbsp Creamed horseradish, I used Delmaine brand Traditional German Grated Horseradish

Directions

Heat the oven to 220C.

Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until tender. Remove from the heat, drain well and cool in a colander so they steam dry. Mash the potatoes coarsely.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat and add the leek and preserved lemon peel or zest. Fry gently for 10 minutes or until the leek is soft. Remove from the heat, taste, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cool and reserve.

Roll the pastry out on a floured surface into a rectangle about 40cm by 25cm. Put the pastry on a baking paper lined oven tray. Put a layer of potatoes down one side of the rectangle of pastry. Place the leek mixture on top. Put the salmon on top of the leeks. Fold the other half of the pastry over the filling and crimp the edges together. Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg. Cut 4 x 4cm long evenly spaced slits in the top of the pastry to let the steam out. Bake for 25 minutes or until well cooked.

Put the cream into a bowl, add the lemon juice and reserve without stirring for 15 minutes. Stir slowly, it will be thick. Stir in the dill and the horseradish and reserve. Remove pie from the oven, cool a little then serve in thick slices with the horseradish cream.

http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/12995/Hot-smoked-salmon-leek-an
d-potato-pie/?ref=nzhbox

uli - 2015-07-29 18:37:00

for leek lovers ..

bev00 - 2016-07-27 23:41:00

Leeks a la Greque were my first thought for a healthy recipe, as asked for in post #1. It's also nice using this recipe for green beans in season, using a shorter cooking time. This is the Julie Buiso version

http://www.radionz.co.nz/collections/recipes/leeks-a-la-grec
que

autumnwinds - 2016-07-28 00:58:00

I have been adding, sliced Leeks, to my Vegy Soup. Makes a good tasty addition.

willman - 2016-07-28 08:04:00

garden_art wrote:

Thanks but made Leek and Potato soup from a proper recipe and it didn't go down well with anyone except me - apparently it was bland ;-(

Not sure what you call a "proper recipe" when no-one likes it LOL :)

Maybe you omitted to fry onions and lots of chopped very smoked bacon first, then adding the very nice stock (beef or chicken) and the chopped potatoes and leeks. You can add lots of celery leaves and of course lovage for more flavour.

Of course if you cooked everything in water I wouldn't eat it either.

The same can be done with chokos and potatoes and everyone I served it to loved it.

uli - 2016-07-28 16:04:00

Then again - what is "healthy" in your eyes?
Hard to give advice nowadays where some people love bacon, others think it is the devils work, some people love butter, others think ... etc etc.

Here is another thread about leek risotto (I wouldn;t think this "healthy" because I do not think lots of rice is a good choice - but there we go again!):
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.asp
x?id=1567563&topic=13&#p33762347

uli - 2016-07-28 16:09:00

Here are some more recipes:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.asp
x?id=1509915&topic=13&#p33762375

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.asp
x?id=713388&p=2&topic=13&#p33762378

uli - 2016-07-28 16:12:00

bump

bev00 - 2017-07-27 23:20:00

** more leek recipes - they're cheap at the moment **

autumnwinds - 2018-07-20 23:42:00

I realise this is an old thread that's been bumped but I made this Nadia Lim recipe a couple of days ago using a large leek (and replacing the celery with peas). It was so easy and delicious. I've never cooked with dried tarragon before and I think that's what made it special https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/81663713/recipe
-nadia-lims-chicken-and-cheesy-potato-topped-pies-with-green
-beans

ed65 - 2018-07-21 09:42:00

Saute sliced leek in a little oil or oil & butter until softened, then add 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot water and a quantity of baby spinach. Cover until spinach is wilted, then stir to mix leeks and spinach.

eggardon - 2018-07-22 15:46:00

Alison Holsts recipe for Leek flan is super easy, really nice and the only reason I buy leeks.

articferrit - 2018-07-22 16:30:00

l absolutely love Glamorgan sausages. Recipe's been around since about 1200 so, must be good. Found this on the web - to save me typing - so l haven't tried the red onion and chilli relish but, will next time l make them. I just use any cheese l've got that needs using and it doesn't seem to matter much.
https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/glamorgan_sausages_with_649
11

bella95 - 2018-07-27 20:59:00

garden_art wrote:

Thanks but made Leek and Potato soup from a proper recipe and it didn't go down well with anyone except me - apparently it was bland ;-(

Ahhh - BUT what was in it apart from potatoes and leek?

Try this: Fry bacon, fry onion, add stock, salt and pepper or chilli and then leeks and potatoes. Always a great success!

uli - 2018-07-29 17:33:00

autumnwinds wrote:

** more leek recipes - they're cheap at the moment **

Thanks for 'bumping' ...interesting thread & I have so many leeks atm. :o)

samanya - 2018-07-29 17:39:00

Don't we all?

uli - 2018-08-13 17:38:00

uli wrote:

Don't we all?

I'm fairly sure that 'we all' don't ...some people actually buy (& enjoy) them.
I like a chicken, leek, blue cheese combination.. usually in an egg /cream mixture, in filo pastry.
eta ... when my leeks look as if they are about to go to seed, I've dug them, sauteed with butter & frozen them & that works for me.

Edited by samanya at 5:50 pm, Mon 13 Aug

samanya - 2018-08-13 17:49:00

Good girl - let's not waste anything!
If my leeks look like going to bolt I make leek pies and then freeze them in small lots. Great for a lazy evening.

Yes they are also on special now everywhere because of the more than mild winter we have had (who wants to have to deal with 5 million bolting leeks soon?).

Yes we had cold nights, but day time temps were up to 8 degrees above average since mid-July ... which is the coldest part of the year.

uli - 2018-08-13 18:10:00

Glamorgan Sausages. Not made this yet, but sounds yum.
25g butter
115g leeks, trimmed, finely sliced (prepared weight)
175g fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
150g/5oz Caerphilly cheese or Welsh Cheddar, finely grated
2 free-range eggs, separated
1 tsp English mustard
½ tsp flaked sea salt
5 tbsp oil
freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the leek gently for 8-10minutes, or until very soft but not coloured.

Put 100g of the breadcrumbs, the parsley, thyme and cheese in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Beat the egg yolks with the mustard, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper in a separate bowl.

Remove the frying pan from the heat and tip the leeks into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and mix together well with a large wooden spoon until well combined. Divide the leek mixture into eight portions and roll into sausage shapes. Place the sausages onto a tray lined with clingfilm.

Whisk the egg whites lightly in a bowl with a large metal whisk until just frothy. Sprinkle 40g breadcrumbs over a large plate. Dip the sausages one at a time into the beaten egg and roll in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated, then place on the baking tray. Chill the sausages in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Fry in oil on medium heat for 10-15 minutes till done.

jan2242 - 2018-08-14 11:08:00

Sorry, just saw it was entered further up.

jan2242 - 2018-08-14 11:09:00

Google Cullen Skink recipe and replace the onion with plenty of leek. Delicious.

mcdaff - 2018-08-14 17:34:00

bump

bev00 - 2019-08-10 23:47:00

Anything that says onions, I add leeks instead.

jan2242 - 2019-08-11 10:36:00