Leeks in White Wine Sauce | Delicious Braised Leeks Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make a white wine and leek sauce? ›

Sweat the leeks in the butter in a large pan over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and sweet. Add the wine and turn up the heat. Bubble to reduce the wine until it has almost evaporated (about 2 minutes). Stir in the cream, lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes until just coating the leeks.

Season leeks with soy, maple, sesame oil, and mirin. Top with sliced garlic and a few knobs of butter around the outside of the pan. Add just enough stock to cover leeks halfway, bring to a boil and pop into over to roast until caramelized and tender when pierced with a knife.

Now, pay attention: Simmer your leeks gently in well-salted water. Don't let them boil and don't let them go too long. They should be tender and silky, not mushy or stringy. Conversely, if not cooked enough, they'll be unpleasantly chewy.

However, washing leeks is particularly essential because they get LOTS of dirt and grit stuck in them during the growing process. Fortunately, a quick slice and swish in a bowl of water easily helps all that dirt fall out of your leeks and into the bottom of the bowl.

Adding wine to your favorite stews, sauces, and marinades adds rich and complex flavors that can't be achieved with other ingredients.

Top pairings

* Smooth dry white wines such as Chenin Blanc and unoaked or subtle oaked Chardonnay or Italian whites such as Gavi or Soave work with dishes that have a creamy texture or a light cheese sauce or leek dishes with eggs like a leek and cheese quiche.

Arrange the leeks in one layer in a baking tray or earthenware dish and roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes until golden and almost caramelized. Keep your eye on them - I've seen many chefs burn baby leeks when cooking them this way and it drives me mad!

To sweat them, place them in a pan with butter or oil and cook over low heat until they get soft but not browned. Leeks should never be browned, or overcooked, because it will turn them into slimy mush.

To cook: Leeks can be boiled, braised or steamed. Sliced leeks should be cooked for 5-7 minutes until tender but still firm. Whole small leeks should be cooked for 10-15 minutes until tender but still firm, top with a cheese sauce and then brown under a preheated grill for 5 minutes or until golden.

The common wisdom is that leek greens are so tough, they should only be used to make stock. I agree that leek greens are great to throw into stock, but that's far from their only use. Yes, the fact is that they are tough.

Why do you only use the white part of leeks? ›

Many recipes for leek soup call for just the white part of the leek, probably to keep the soup a paler colour, but the greens have just as much, if not more, flavour, and colour the soup a brilliant light green.

If you are one of those people who can't tolerate an abundance of onions in a dish, try leeks instead. They're milder, even though they contain many of the sulfur compounds present in onions that are difficult for some people to digest.

The dark green tops of leeks should look fresh. Avoid leeks with yellowing or wilting tops. Choose smaller, younger leeks when you want to eat them uncooked.

They're a good source of vitamin K, which may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, in addition to aiding in blood clotting for wounds and supporting heart health. They're high in fiber, which helps promote regularity and a healthy digestive system.

In addition to their great flavor, leeks are also a good source of dietary fiber, and contain large amounts of folic acid, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C. They have laxative, antiseptic, diuretic, and anti-arthritic properties and are easier to digest than regular onions.

Mix corn starch and water, pour it into sauce while stirring. Gradually add potato flakes until desired thickness. Place equal parts of butter and flour in a bowl and mix well. Shape into teaspoon-sized balls and use as needed to thicken the sauce.

Bordelaise sauce is a classic French sauce prepared with red wine, meat glaze or demi-glace, butter, shallots and bone marrow. Sauce lyonnaise is a French sauce prepared with white wine, vinegar and onions, which may be served with meat.