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If alliums might sing (a hypothetical we’ve all contemplated), the leek could be the melodic foil to the onion’s brash EDM. These leek recipes are ample proof, beckoning spring’s arrival with their mild sweetness and flexibility. Caramelized below hen, melted into brothy soup, or dressed merely with vinegar, the nutrient-rich leek (ripe with Vitamin C and potassium) is a main candidate on your weeknight cooking and internet hosting agenda all season lengthy. As a lot as we love garlic, shallots, and chives year-round, within the allium realm, leeks occupy a particular place in our hearts within the spring, once they’ve reached their peak taste.
For first-time leek cookers, it could be worthwhile to acquaint your self with the elements of the leek earlier than scrolling additional. Most recipes will direct you to discard the darkish inexperienced elements (the powerful and fibrous leaves) or in any other case direct them to inventory. The lighter inexperienced elements and white elements (the basis ends), in the meantime, are much more tender and appropriate for all of the roasting, sautéeing, braising, and charring your coronary heart needs. To substantiate our leek-versatility thesis, we’ve gathered our greatest leek recipes in a single spot; right here you’ll discover easy sautéed leeks, potato-leek soups each basic and quaint, and leeks tucked into all method of golden-brown pastry—let’s get to it.
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Picture by Travis Rainey, Meals Styling by Luciana Lamboy, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams
Creamy Cider-Braised Rooster and Leeks
With the burned, glistening pores and skin of roast hen and the sauciness of a stew, it is a quietly elegant, cozy leek recipe. Braising them within the cider previous to roasting breaks down their sturdy outer layers, making certain a wondrously silky consequence.
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{Photograph} by Graydon Herriott, meals styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk.
Kuku Kadoo
The Persian egg dish kuku can comprise a wide range of fillings, like potatoes, eggplant—even dates. For this model, former BA senior editor Andy Baraghani caramelizes the zucchini and leeks, drawing out their sweetness.
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Picture by Alex Lau, Meals Styling by Chris Morocco, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen
Caramelized Leek and Fava Bean Toast
These toasts are piled excessive with softened leeks and contemporary fava beans. Slice the leeks with the grain to stop them from collapsing into mush after caramelizing.
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Picture by Alex Lau, meals styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Amy Wilson
Grilled Swordfish With Charred Leeks and Citrus
“The richness of the fish, the briny olives, the mushy, smoky leeks made for a meal that tasted far more decadent than it truly was,” writes former BA editorial director Amanda Shapiro in an ode to this recipe.
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{Photograph} by Laura Murray, meals styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
Baked Pasta and Leeks With Anchovy Cream
Anchovies, cream, leeks, and Parmesan do magical issues when baked along with pasta. The little fish convey greater than salt to the desk, lending a great deal of umami to the creamy dish.
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Picture by Marcus Nilsson, meals styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
Glazed Leeks With Pine Nut Salsa Verde
These leeks are cooked till tender, doused in a chile-honey-vinegar sauce, and completed with a nutty, herby salsa verde.
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Picture by Emma Fishman, Meals Styling by D’mytrek Brown
Leveled-Up Potato Leek Soup
Forgoing the blender right here produces a soup that’s extra texturally attention-grabbing than the puréed variety, which regularly meets a gummy destiny. A punchy gremolata garnish balances the creamy broth and caramelized leeks.
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{Photograph} by Aaron Barton, meals styling by Michelle Gatton, prop styling by Alexandra Massillon
Miso-Mayo Rooster Bowl
This speedy dinner, boasting a complete time of lower than an hour, sees boneless hen thighs, leeks, and brussels sprouts cooked on a single sheet pan. A miso-mayo coats the thighs, seasoning the meat and serving to it caramelize; brightened with rice vinegar, the identical combine turns into a finisher you may drizzle over the bowl.
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Alex Lau
Poached Cod With Potatoes and Leeks
Gently poaching fillets of delicate white fish in milk, fragranced with leeks, thyme, and garlic, is the key to a sublime but easy dinner.
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Peden + Munk
Chickpea Pancakes With Leeks, Squash, and Yogurt
These golden-brown, make-ahead-friendly chickpea pancakes are bulked up with softened leeks and squash. Serve the crispy medallions with dollops of yogurt and parsley, plus salt and black pepper.
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Bobbi Lin
Kuku Sabzi
This herb-loaded Persian frittata takes properly to any and all hearty greens you have got languishing in your fridge. Right here, we used leeks, cilantro, dill, and parsley.
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{Photograph} by Kelly Marshall, meals styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
Grilled Leeks With Brown Butter and Spiced Hazelnuts
The glory of those grilled leeks is the distinction between their deeply charred exteriors and jammy, candy interiors.
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Picture by Stephen Kent Johnson, meals styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
Roast Rooster Thighs With Peas and Mint
Harnesses the facility of hen thighs through the use of their rendered fats to melt thick rounds of leeks and spring peas for a built-in facet dish that perfumes the meat because it cooks.
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{Photograph} by Alex Lau, meals styling by Victoria Granof, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
Leek and Artichoke Fondue
Fondue is never related to brightness—contemplate this one an exception. Recent herbs, goat cheese, and leeks convey the retro dish into the twenty first century; serve with crudités and bread for dipping.
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{Photograph} by Isa Zapata, meals styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Gerri Williams
Gnocchi-Leek Soup With Greens
Shelf-stable gnocchi makes this play on potato-leek soup a complete breeze to convey collectively. Parmesan rind and shiny caramelized lemon are the keys to reworking store-bought vegetable broth right into a wealthy, advanced base.
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Picture by Isa Zapata, Meals Styling by Pearl Jones
Bean Confit With Lemon, Saffron, and All of the Alliums
“Genuinely the perfect beans I’ve had in my life,” writes BA reader Ellie of this saffron-tinged confit. The beans be a part of forces with sliced leeks and spring onions which are cooked over medium warmth in olive oil earlier than being baked till meltingly tender. Scrumptious served merely over crusty toast, the dish additionally takes properly to heftier add-ins like shrimp.
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{Photograph} by Emma Fishman, meals styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk
Leeks With Hazelnuts and Tarragon
Simmer leeks till tender, then gown them with a shiny tarragon French dressing, a boiled egg, and toasted hazelnuts to spherical out this elegant facet dish.
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Picture by Chelsie Craig, Meals Styling by Pearl Jones
Upside-Down Caramelized Leek Tart
Peak-season leeks and store-bought puff pastry do the heavy lifting on this placing tart. The leeks are organized and cooked minimize facet down in a cast-iron skillet, then draped with puff pastry and inverted onto a plate after baking. Spectacular as it might look, it’s extremely simple to make.
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{Photograph} by Scott Semler, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Meals Styling by Mieko Takahashi
Golden Rooster Soup
Heat hen soup is thought to heal no matter ails you. This one is loaded with golden, anti-inflammatory turmeric, leeks, potatoes, celery, and extra.
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Picture by Alex Lau, meals styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime
Charred Leeks With Honey and Vinegar
This fashionable leek recipe is deliciously easy, requiring virtually no prep time. A tangy-sweet mixture of honey and vinegar attire the blackened leeks, which get tender and candy on the within.