Sweet-and-Sour Leeks with Goat's Curd and Currants from "Plenty More"

Leeks are one of those vegetables that is often misunderstood. Is it a replacement for an onion? Sure it is. Can it stand on it's own? Most definitely. In fact, one of my favorite vegetable side dishes to date is a different leek recipe: Orange Braised Leeks (recipe found here). Leeks, like onions, have this incredible inherent sweetness that is brought to the forefront when cooked thoroughly (it is certainly not as forgiving when eaten raw!) They also have a delicate flavor so they are able to take on the flavors of a braising liquid and can act like a chameleon on your dinner plate - going with whatever flavors you are going for in your meal.

These delicious vegetables are in season from Fall to early Spring so when you are getting tired of kale and winter squash crowding your winter plates, turn to leeks. They have the ability to bring a brightness to a plate that is often difficult to achieve with traditional winter vegetables.

In my attempt to keep my recipe choices from Plenty More seasonal, I was quickly drawn to my latest creation - Sweet-and-Sour Leeks with Goat's Curd and Currants. This decision was partially influenced by the image that adorns the back cover of the book. It is visually beautiful and relatively simple to recreate.

Note: as with many of Ottolenghi's recipes, not all ingredients are readily available in a typical U.S. grocery store (Whole Foods is my go-to). While I was intrigued with "goat's curd" I had a feeling that this would be a bit difficult to come across. It was. Soft goat cheese was the recommended substitution and worked just fine!

I did a half-recipe given that I was cooking for two. I would agree that the full recipe should serve four as a starter or side dish.

Leeks in their braising liquid

Post-braise, pre-pan sear

Currant vinaigrette and resting leeks

Finished with currant vinaigrette, goat cheese and parsley

Sweet-and-Sour Leeks with Goat's Curd and Currants from Plenty More
serves four

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 small leeks, white part only
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• scant 1 cup/200 ml dry white wine
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped (2/3 cup/100 g)
• scant 2 1/2 tbsp/20 g dried currants
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp superfine sugar
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 1/2 oz/100 g goat's curd or a creamy goat cheese
• 1 tbsp chervil or flat-leaf parsley leaves
• salt and black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the leeks crosswise into two segments, each about 4 inches/10 cm long, and wash well. Lay all the leeks on the bottom of a large, shallow pan and add the bay leaves, garlic, wine, olive oil, and about 1 cup/250 ml water, so that the leeks are half covered in liquid. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and some black pepper, place over medium heat, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, until a knife can be inserted into the leeks without any resistance. Turn the leeks over once or twice during cooking so that they are cooked evenly.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the leeks from the pan and place on a plate to one side. Strain the remaining cooking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over high heat until you are left with just 3 tablespoons. This should take between 12 and 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the onion, currants, vinegar, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Set aside to soften and marinate.

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add the leeks and fry for 2 minutes on each side, until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
2. To serve, divide the leeks among 4 plates. Dot with the cheese, spoon the onion and currant dressing over the top, and finish with the chervil.

We served the leeks with a simple pan-roasted duck breast and polenta. The leeks went well with the simple flavors of the tender meat and creamy polenta - bringing to the dish bright acidity from the vinegar, tanginess from the goat cheese, and sweetness from the currants and from the leeks themselves having simmered in a fabulous but simple wine-based braising liquid.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

- As I couldn't find goat's curd, I used goat's cheese, that was just fine!

- I used parsley instead of chervil as that was another recommended substitution.

- I didn't use quite as much goat cheese as the recipe called for and I found the amount used to be sufficient.

- I almost substituted (or added) pomegranates for the red onions. I went shopping based on memory of the picture and for some reason, I thought the red onions were pomegranates so I picked one up. I was tempted to try the combination but preferred to keep it simple. Still, I think the burst of juice could be a nice addition, though not necessary.

TIPS:

- Buy thin leeks. This recipe is easier to execute if you do not have to cut a leek in half as you have to flip the leeks and handle them once soft. If the layers are exposed, you risk having them fall apart on you. I had a two thin leeks and one thick leek as you can notice from the pictures. 

- Check your leeks before the 2 minutes is over when pan-frying the braised leeks (recommended 2 minutes per side). I found my leeks were responding quickly to the heat of the pan (my burner is difficult to manage - gotta love glass-top). I pulled mine much quicker than 2 minutes per side - you just need to cook it long enough to get a sear on the leek - it is already cooked.

WINE: 2011 Bourgogne Benjamin Leroux

If you know me at all, you know wine is right up there in my passion wheelhouse. We have tried to limit it's presence at the dinner table so we can take a bit of a break during the week but tonight we wanted to open a bottle we had just picked up from the local beverage store. We were talking to a store "wine consultant" and he recommended a Burgundy (Pinot Noir) that is under $30. For a Burgundy, that's nearly unheard of. Though it is unlikely to compare to the highly revered Burgundys, this bottle was a perfect pairing to our night's meal. It had a beautiful cherry flavor complimented by the rustic signature of these old-world wines - dirt. It's a true expression of the terrior and not just some fruit bomb that could have bee produced in a juice factory.

Quite enjoyable.

We were told that any "Becky Wasserman Selection" - found on the back label, is an indication of a good product - and good value. She's an American that has been in France for about 30 years now and brings us fabulous selections from the wine powerhouse.

Cheers!