Leek and Potato Chowder

Hearty, chunky leek chowder pairs well with inclement weather.  This recipe takes inspiration from the immortal Marion Cunningham, although I made several changes.

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes
Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons butter, separated
4 cups thinly sliced (1/8 inch) leeks, white and light green parts
2 cups thinly sliced (1/8 inch) celery (about 2 stocks) including leaves
5-6 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups potatoes, 1/4 inch dice*
1 teaspoon thyme
4 tablespoons whole wheat (or white) flour
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a stock pot over medium heat and saute the leeks and celery for 10 minutes, stirring.  Add 2 cups of stock and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the diced potatoes and 2 more cups stock.  The potatoes should be just about covered. If not, add more stock.  Add the thyme.  Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat.  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, as the roux bubbles and smooths.  A few tablespoons at a time, add hot stock from the soup to the roux, stirring or whisking constantly.  It will bubble and thicken.  Do this several times, then pour this flour mixture into your chowder, along with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for a a minute or two, stirring, as it thickens.

Serve hot, with crusty bread and a glass of Beaujolais, and laugh at the storm.

*If your potatoes are organic, leave the peels on for flavor, nutrition, and texture.  Just scrub 'em and use 'em

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Turkey Leek Soup

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









This simple soup is a tasty destination for leftover turkey or chicken.  It is also, by the way, a good antidote for a cold.

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes (not including turkey cooking time)
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large leeks, cleaned, dark green parts removed, and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon ground thyme
5 cups turkey or chicken stock
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken meat, cut into 1/2" chunks
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a stock pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat and saute the leeks and the thyme, stirring, for 4 minutes.  Add  the stock, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.  Add the rice and the turkey, heat for another 5 minutes, and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Green Braise

A warm, spicy vegetable dish that makes good use of late season vegetables.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Serves 6-8










INGREDIENTS
2 TB olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 leeks, cleaned and white/light green parts thinly sliced
2-3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp caraway seed
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, celery, and leeks, stir to coat, and add the stock. Sprinkle on the caraway, red and black pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve in shallow bowls.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Slow Cooked Carrots & Leeks

Photo:
Tod Dimmick













Low, slow heat brings out sweet flavors and meltingly tender texture.

2-3 TB olive oil
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, or 2 tsp dried
2-4 leeks, cleaned, dark green tops removed, and sliced lengthwise into strips about 1/4" thick
6-7 small carrots, cleaned and sliced lengthwise into strips about 1/4" thick
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Add the leeks and carrots in a single layer, turn heat to very low (simmer if available) and let cook for 15 minutes. Check them periodically to make sure that they are not cooking too fast - in case the lowest heat setting you have cooks them faster. Turn and cook for another 5 minutes, or until carrots and leeks are tender.

Serve with salt and pepper.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Leeks

Leeks are another member of the Allium family, making it a relative of onions, scallions and even lilies. Leeks can be harvested early in the season (as smaller "summer leeks") or later for longer storage and a larger plant. Instead of developing a round bulb like an onion, leeks remain cylindrical with white/light green lower parts and green or blue-green leaves.

Store leeks in a plastic bag in the fridge. They will last a few weeks. The edible portion of leeks are the lower white/light green base. Be sure to wash out soil from between leaf layers. You can do this easily by cutting it once length-wise and running it under water before chopping it into pieces. Leeks are sort of like a creamier onion flavor in dishes and are great in egg dishes, soups, stews, sautees and finely chopped raw on salads.

Cauliflower

The part of cauliflower we eat is the undeveloped flower bud of the plant Brassica oleracea var. botrytis. Though cauliflower is classically white, there are also yellow, chartreuse, and deep purple varieties. Cauliflower may be available in the spring or early summer, but it really shines in the cooler months of autumn.

Cauliflower can keep for a little more than a week under optimal conditions. Store in a plastic bag, and make sure that it is not very wet when put into storage, as this encourages rotting. If you do get to your cauliflower a little too late and find black spots developing on the head, try shaving them off with a knife.

For more long term storage, blanch in boiling water for 2 - 4 minutes, then drain and submerge in icy water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain again and allow to dry before putting into zipper-style freezer bags. Frozen cauliflower is not firm when reheated, so use it in soups and stews.

Fresh cauliflower can be eaten raw in salads or as a dipping vegetable. It is also excellent when lightly steamed and drizzled with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Use cauliflower as a substitute for potatoes in mashed potato recipes.

Fried Cauliflower

Try making fried cauliflower, a dish that is common in the Middle East. First cut the head into fairly even sized florets. Blanch for 4-5 minutes, then drain very well, and pat dry. Into a cast iron pan, or a deep, thick-bottomed frying pan, pour enough vegetable oil to entirely (don't be shy!) coat the bottom. Heat to high-med heat. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed. Fry the cauliflower until golden brown and caramelized on all sides. Remove from heat and scoop onto paper towels until cool enough to eat. Salt and serve as is or with a side of tahini dipping sauce.


Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 -2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 leeks (shallots or onions are okay)

Preheat oven to 400. Cut cauliflower into even sized florets. Clean leeks and cut off greens. Slice whites of leeks into pieces that are roughly an inch long, a half inch wide. Toss cauliflower, leeks, and thyme sprigs in olive oil, enough to coat veggies well.

Spread evenly on cookie sheet, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 20 min. VERY CAREFULLY remove foil. Return to oven at 375 and cook for 15- 20 minutes, flip/stir with a spatula, and return to oven. Check after 10-15 minutes, and stir again. The goal is to have the cauliflower and leaks browned, but not burned. After a total of 45 -60 minutes, it should be done.