Leeks are often overlooked in America, which is a certifiable shame since they are quite good. Leeks are fairly sweet, even raw, and very minimal cooking is required to accentuate that sweetness. Leeks are a part of the allium genus (like onions and garlic), but possess far less of its brother produce’s spice and sharpness. When sautéed with butter and puréed, the leek takes on a constancy somewhere between that of mayonnaise and guacamole. Use this purée with anything that you would ordinarily use mayonnaise to make your meals more interesting (we smear it on nearly everything—today’s smearage was rather tame: preserved-lemon-and-soy-sauce-marinated portabella mushroom grilled with caramelized onions, seared tomatoes, and the leek purée on a sourdough loaf. By adding eggs, you can create a timbale, but that’s for another post.
1 Leek (chopped)
4 TBS Butter
To taste Salt and Pepper
1 tsp (to taste) Lemon juice
Sautée the chopped leek in the butter on medium-high heat until it is tender. Transfer the contents of the pan to a small blender and blend. Add in salt, pepper, and lemon juice in small amounts to your satisfaction (we recommend going easy on the lemon juice—it obscures the natural sweetness and will only detract from the “leek” flavor.
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