12434 Leeks Cooked in Their Own Juices “Under a Bed of Ashes” Serves 4 Wed Aug 06 01:07:20 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 18:15:49 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12434 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:15:49 GMT There is a town called Mirepoix in the Ariège, whose name will be familiar to students of French cooking, since it is also the name of the finely diced vegetable base of so many French sauces and stews. It was near there that I first tasted young leeks roasted in dying embers, then peeled and served with a garlic and herb vinaigrette. These succulent leeks were a revelation of simplicity and pleasure. Their flavor is very intense and a great improvement over leeks boiled or steamed. Serve lukewarm with a garlic, herb, and olive oil vinaigrette.

The recipe has been adapted to enable the reader without a bed of ashes to prepare the dish in the oven or under the broiler.

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  • Preheat the oven to 450°F or preheat your broiler with the rack set about 4 inches from the heat. If you have hot coals in a fireplace or outdoor grill, stoke the ashes for even, steady heat.
  • Trim off the roots and all but 1 inch of green leaves from the leeks. Remove any remaining tough outer leaves. Beginning about 1 inch from the base, split the leeks lengthwise, using a thin sharp knife. Wash the leeks thoroughly; if very sandy, soak in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes.
  • Drain the leeks and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange in a single layer on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Rub each leek with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Enclose completely in foil, wrapping tightly. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 3 hours in advance.)
  • Transfer the packet of leeks to a broiler pan or baking sheet. Broil wrapped in foil or bake for 5 minutes; then turn the packet over and cook for 5 minutes longer. If roasting in embers, cook for 10 minutes on each side and shake the packet from time to time to prevent the leeks from sticking to the foil.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 12 thin leeks

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