Leeks Baked with Cream and Gorgonzola

Years ago, when vegetables and fruits were only available in certain seasons, leeks were one of the few that survived winter and lasted until the first new spring vegetables were available. Maybe for that reason I still like most to cook and eat leeks from late fall to early spring. So the other day, which was still very cold and windy, I made a leek dish for dinner.

I wanted to try a simple Italian dish of leeks baked in cream. But when I was about to put a dish in the oven, I found in my refrigerator a piece of Gorgonzola cheese. I thought that Gorgonzola would go well with leeks in cream since this was an Italian dish. It seemed also that a slightly sharp cheese would add a little bit of spiciness to the mild and slightly sweet leeks. Then I came with the idea to finish the dish with shredded almonds to add some crunchiness. The dish turned out very nice and a combination of sweet leeks in cream and melted, spicy Gorgonzola was perfect.

It is a very simple dish that can be prepared ahead and finished (baked) at the last moment. It tastes great with baguette, tomato salad, and a glass of wine.



Leeks Baked in Cream and Gorgonzola

Ingredients:
4 medium leeks (only the white and light green parts can be used),
1/2 cup table cream,
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese,
2 tbsp slivered roasted almonds,
1 tbsp butter,
salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:
1. Wash leeks thoroughly, especially between the leaves to remove all the dirt.
2.Put them in a pot of salted boiling water and cook about 10 minutes, until soft. Drain and cool down them down.
3. Preheat oven to 370F.
4. Butter an over proof dish (large enough for leeks to fit in) and place the leeks in it.



5. Pour on top the cream and crumbled Gorgonzola. Season generously with freshly grated pepper. Sprinkle with almond slivers.
6. Place the dish in the oven and bake about 20 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Leeks in Béchamel Sauce

This is probably the last chance this season to share the recipe for leeks since they are rather a fall-winter vegetable. And once the spring hopefully comes one day soon we will crave more the fresh and crispy vegetables, so leeks will be forgotten until fall.

Leeks are a wonderful vegetable, but you either like them or not. I am one of those who love them and one of my favorite dishes are leeks in mustard sauce, which I make often during cold months and serve as cold cuts accompaniment.

But recently I had some leeks and extra ham and made this nice, warm dish in Béchamel. I tried something similar years ago in London and it worked well then too. And if you are not yet a leek lover I believe this could the best way to get acquainted with them.

Only the white/yellowish and sweet parts are used which very much remind onion. Leeks are wrapped in French or Italian cooked ham and baked in a creamy Béchamel sauce with a little bit of cheese on top. They cut easily and taste really good soaked in Béchamel, especially accompanied by fresh baguette and a glass of wine. They can also be served with rice, making a dinner dish. Either way, it is a very tasty dish, which all leek lovers will appreciate.

Leeks in Béchamel Sauce
(Serves four)

Ingredients:
4 large leeks,
4 large or 8 smaller slices of cooked (preferably French or Italian) ham,
3 tbsp butter, plus extra one to butter the baking dish,
1/4 cup all purpose flour,
2 cups of milk,
1/2 cup Gruyère, or cheddar cheese,
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg,
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped flat leaves parsley

Preparation:
1. Cut out the most green and hard parts of leeks and wash toughly making sure that you rinse out the soil from between the leaves. If your leeks are long cut them in half.
2. In a large pot bring water to boil with a tbsp of salt. Put in the leeks and cook them for 3-5 minutes. Drain on the colander.
3. Make the Béchamel sauce. In a medium heavy duty pot melt butter. Add flour and, using a wooden spoon or a whisker, mix until a gold and thick paste forms. Using a whisker incorporate a cup of milk. When there are no lumps in the mixture, pour in the rest of the milk and heat. Whisk until the sauce thickens and becomes velvety smooth. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Season the sauce with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Preheat oven to 400 F.
5. Grease a medium oven-proof dish with butter.
6. Place the slices of ham on the cutting board, put at the end leeks and roll them up in ham.

Place leeks in the oven-proof dish.

Cover with Béchamel and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for about 15-20 minutes. take off the foil and continue baking until the cheese becomes gold, which will take another 10-15 minutes.

Serve warm, sprinkle with parsley.

French Onion Soup--to Warm up

I think we all got deceived by the warm days and colorful summer dresses displayed in store windows. Unfortunately, winter is back, with a vengeance. And although it is very sunny in DC, it is also freezing and windy.

So what would be a better idea to warm up than a bowl of soup? And, when I think about comfort, a bowl of French onion soup that I was often served in Alpine ski resorts comes to my mind.

It is very easy dish but, believe it or not, although I ate onion soup many times, I made it only twice myself many years ago.

So far, each time I made onion soup I used my old, French, absolutely plain and simple recipe based on onion and a beef consommé or broth. Today I used the other version I had in my notebook which also calls for a little bit of sugar, balsamic vinegar and thyme. When after about half an hour the soup was ready, there would be nothing I could enjoy more. Aromatic, rich, and hot it was the most comforting lunch on a freezing day like today.

French Onion Soup
(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
4 large onions, peeled and finely sliced,
32 oz (2 lb) good quality beef broth,
3 tbsp butter,
1 tbsp olive oil,
1 garlic clove,
1 tbsp sugar,
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar,
1 tbsp flour,
baguette (about 8 slices),
1/3 cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese,
2 branches of thyme,
one bay leaf,
extra tbsp of butter,
salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:
1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan and add onion. Fry first at high heat for a few minutes, than turn the heat down and fry it for about 20 minutes, until it turns dark-gold/brown. The onion needs to be well brown (caramelized) as this gives the whole taste to the soup.

2. Add sugar and vinegar to the already brown onion and cook for two minutes.
3. Sprinkle with flour, mix and add beef broth, thyme and bay leaf.Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for about 20 minutes.
4. Spread each slice of baguette with butter and grill them in the oven until they are gold. Place the cheese on top of each slice and let it melt and bubble.
5. Remove bay leave and thyme from the soup. Divide the soup among serving bowl and top with grilled baguette slices. Serve hot.