The Purloined Recipe

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 2 - 4.

4 slender leeks, including a little of the pale green, or 1 bunch scallions
6 carrots, yellow and/or orange, 3 to 4 inches long
12 little turnips with their greens
1 bunch radishes-pink, red, or purple, with ½ inch of their stems
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fava beans, if available, shucked
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Slice the leeks crosswise about ¼ inch wide, then rinse them in a bowl of
   water and drain. Cut all but ½ inch of the carrot greens off, peel the carrots, and
   slice them in half lengthwise. Leave ½ inch of the turnip greens attached. Peel
   with a paring knife up to the shoulders. Leave smaller ones whole and cut larger
   ones into halves or quarters. Halve the radishes lengthwise; soak them briefly in
   a bowl of water, then rinse, especially the stems.
2. Bring 6 cups water to a boil and add 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Blanch the carrots, turnips, and radishes for 7 minutes, then scoop out and set aside. Drop the fava beans into the water for 1 minute, and then scoop them out, saving the cooking water, and rinse to cool. Pop them out of their skins.
3. Melt half the butter in a 8 or 10 inch sauté pan. Add the leeks and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, Add ½ cup of the vegetable cooking water, the blanched vegetables, half the herbs, and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer until the vegetables are fully tender, 10 to 15 minutes, adding water in
   1/3 cup increments so that the pan doesn’t dry out. There should be a little
   sauce.
4. Add the fava beans, remaining butter, and lemon juice Raise the heat and
   swirl the pan back and forth until the butter has melted into the juice. Remove
   from the heat, add the rest of the herbs, season with pepper, and serve. If you’ve
   made the dumplings, add them during the last 5 minutes so that they’ll heat
   through.

carrots, leeks, onions, parsley, radishes, side dishes, turnips

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 4

This tender mess of pale green ribbons flecked with yellow lemon zest is the kind of dish I’d make a meal of with some egg noodles thrown in. But it also makes a delicious bed for monkfish, cod, or wild salmon.

½ small Savoy or other green cabbage
1 large fennel bulb, quartered
1 large leek, white part only
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon 3 tablespoons chervil or parsley leaves

1. Cut the cabbage, fennel, and leek into very thin slices and wash. Don’t dry, though.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, wide skillet. Add the vegetables and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes. Check after 5 minutes and make sure there’s a little moisture so that the
   vegetables steam and don’t brown. Meanwhile, simmer the lemon juice in a
   small skillet until only 1 tablespoon remains. Remove from the heat and whisk in
   the remaining butter.
3. Finely chop the lemon zest with the chervil. Stir half into the butter and add the other half to the vegetables. Toss well, taste for salt, and season with
   pepper.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, cabbage, entrees, fennel, leeks, side dishes

Serves 4

1 1/4 lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed, peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
1 cup diced raw, peeled potato (1/4-inch)
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

1. Steam the asparagus in a vegetable steamer until crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes depending on the thickness of the stalks. Immediately plunge the asparagus into a bowl of ice water.
2. When cool, drain and set aside, reserving 8 asparagus tips for garnish.
3. Melt the butter in a large pot over low-medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken stock and raise the heat to high.
6. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook until the potato is very tender, about 20 minutes.
7. Add the asparagus (except for the reserved tips) and cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
8. Puree the soup.
9. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. If the soup has cooled, reheat gently until hot.
10. Garnish each serving with 2 reserved asparagus tips.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, asparagus, leeks, potatoes, soups

Serves 8

2 lbs leeks
1-4 c butter, plus about 1 Tbsp
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 c milk
1 Tbsp white wine
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp Tabasco or similar hot sauce
1 c grated Swiss cheese

1. Cut white and tender portion of green leek leaves lengthwise, and then into 1-inch pieces.
2. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; place in buttered casserole.
3. In saucepan over medium heat, melt1/4c butter; stir in flour. Whisk in milk and wine. Stir and cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and Tabasco; pour over leeks. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Dot with remaining butter, and brown under broiler, 3-5 minutes.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, entrees, leeks

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 4

Serve this delicate gratin for early spring or fall as an accompaniment to fish or roasted chicken or as a vegetable main course.

3 large leeks, white parts only
2 fennel bulbs, about 6 ounces each
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch scallions, including an inch of the greens, sliced
1/4 cup chopped funnel greens OR 2 table-spoons each chopped parsley and tarragon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups milk or half-and-half
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 2-quart gratin dish. Chop the leeks into 1/2-inch pieces and wash them well in plenty of water, separating the rings. Let them soak while you trim and quarter the fennel. Slice it very thinly, including the core. Bring a skillet of water to a boil; add the fennel and a pinch of salt. Simmer until the fennel is translucent, about 2 minutes, then drain.
2. Melts the butter in a wide skillet. Lift the leeks out of their soaking water and add them to the pan along with the fennel. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes, adding the scallions after 5 minutes. Add the fennel greens and lemon zest, taste for salt, and season with pepper. Scrape the vegetables into the prepared dish.
3. Beat the eggs and mild together and add 1.2 teaspoon salt plus the cheese. Pour it over the vegetables, then bake until the top is browned here and there in places, about 40 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes, and serve.

VARIATION WITH ENDIVE: Slice or chop 1 or 2 white Belgian endives and cook
them with the leeks and fennel.

Recipes By Ingredient, The Recipes, entrees, fennel, leeks, onions

(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Eat these warm savory custards right out of their ramekins for lunch or supper. You can make this leaving the texture of the leeks and sorrel intact or puree it and make it smooth. It’s good both ways.

4 to 6 thin leeks or scallions
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounce bunch sorrel
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
3 market eggs
freshly ground pepper
2 ounces fresh goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

1. Thinly slice, then chop the white parts of the leeks, going into the pale part of the greens a short way. You should have about 1 cup. Rinse them well. Melt the butter in an 8-inch skillet. Use some of it to brush four ½ cup ramekins, then add the leeks to the skillet. Add ¼ cup water or white wine and cook gently over medium-low heat until softened, about 12 minutes.
2. Strip the sorrel leaves off the stems; wash and finely chop them. Add them to the pan with the leeks, sprinkle with salt, and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half and heat until warm but not boiling.
3. Beat the eggs well, then stir in the sorrel mixture. Season with pepper and crumble in the cheese. If you want smooth custard, puree using short pulses. Don’t over mix or it will be too foamy on top.
4. Divide among the ramekins, place in a baking pan and surround with a hot water bath. Bake until the custards are set and a knife inserted comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Set the ramekins on small plates and serve with buttered toast.

entrees, leeks, sorrel

Makes 6 servings.

3 c sliced leeks
3 c diced peeled potatoes
2 qts water
1 Tbsp salt
¼ c heavy cream or 3 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp fresh minced chives or parsley

1. Simmer leeks and potatoes in water with salt, partially covered 40-50 minutes, or until tender.
2. Mash vegetables with fork or put through food mill.
3. Set pot off heat and stir in cream or butter.

Serve in bowls and sprinkle with herbs.

leeks, potatoes, soups