Thursday, November 10, 2011

The Comfort of Leeks Vinaigrette (updated with recipe)

After a complicated day involving no less than three family babysitters for the children and a husband gone til who-knows-when, I was tearing home from my job to heat up leftover soup.


When I realized that lights were on and my husband was in the kitchen.

Thanks be to God: real food to go with the leftover soup.


Leeks Vinaigrette. 

We fought over them a little, they were so good.  They were soft leeks, dressed in vinaigrette and anchovies, with parsley and sliced boiled eggs on top. 

I am already planning to eat them, alone, with good bread and wine, just as soon as I buy more leeks at market.  The recipe was from Alice Waters, the Art of Simple Food.  I think this recipe is the epitome of the title.


And Mr. Thrift saved the leek boiling water.  And Mrs. Thrift threw the leek tops into it and made vegetable broth.  And the house smelled delicious - amen.

Updated with recipe:

Trim and clean 6 medium leeks.
Cook for 7-12 minutes in abundant, boiling salted water until soft when pierced.
Drain and set aside to cool.

Whisk together vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard
salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 c. olive oil

Squeeze cooled leeks gently to get out excess water. Cut in half lengthwise.  Arrange on shallow serving dish, spoon vinaigrette over, and turn gently to coat.  Sprinkle with parsley, chopped anchovy fillets, and 1-2 hard cooked eggs. (Alice Water recommends 4 salt-packed anchovy fillets, but my husband used half a small can of oil packed).

9 comments:

Polly said...

Yum--that does sound wonderfully simple. Sometimes the simplest dishes are truly the very best. I love leeks!

Rebecca said...

Amen, indeed! Glad you made it home in one piece.

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

I love how your family enjoys recipes the likes of which I have never heard! Sounds delicious, especially with bread, cheese, and wine!

Deanna Beth said...

What a nice Husband Story!

You Can Call Me Jane said...

Recipe, please?

Anonymous said...

Your kids ate that? Amazing.

BrotherDearest said...

Her kids will truly eat anything. The theory (which I agree with, and her children bear out), is that if you don't ever suggest to a child that they won't like something, or that something might be icky, they have no baseline to assume that they won't like something. Don't tell them they won't like it, and they can let their own taste buds decide.

A said...

I think the heart of the theory, which I wish I'd implemented from Day 1, is never giving the kids a choice. This is what's for the meal and that's that. None of this "Do you want a ham sandwhich or Mac and Cheese?" crap. It doesn't occur to them there's another option. And I think also Margo if they push it away you don't make any big deal about it, or about finishing anything, and they learn early if they want to not be hungry they eat what they get. Every day I think "TODAY will be the day I do it like Margo does." Sigh.

Margo said...

A, how well you know me. I'm touched. And by my brother's answer too.