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.

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. But you know what makes tough things tender?

To be properly cleaned before cooking, leeks must be topped and tailed (roots discarded, dark-green parts removed), and the white and light-green parts sliced thin and left to swim in a water bath so as to encourage the removal of any clinging dirt.

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 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.

Leeks are the mildest of the onion family and really shine when they're cooked, offering a lovely subtlety to dishes and a delicate, melty texture. Typically, the white and light green parts are consumed, while the dark green tops are left out, being full of fibers and hard to chew.

We traditionally trim the green tops off leeks and throw them away, but the thick leaves are perfectly edible and have just as much if not more flavour than the milder, pale end. Often referred to as a super food, leeks are high in flavonoids, vitamins A, E and K, and fibre.

Are leeks healthier than green onions? ›

More than a giant green onion, leeks are a good source of vitamins A, C, B6 and K, as well as dietary fiber. Leeks have a milder, sweeter flavor than onions and scallions.

If your leeks have gone bad, they'll often exhibit a few tell-tale signs. They may show signs of discoloration, becoming yellowed or darkened. A rotten smell or a slimy texture is a clear indicator that your leeks are no longer good to eat.

When leeks are sliced or chopped, they can be used in place of onions or shallots in soups, stews, and casseroles. You can also showcase their subtle, sweet flavor in pasta dishes like our Red Lentil Rotini with Silken Leeks and Shiitakes or Vegan Penne with Artichokes, Leeks, and Lentils.

Early on it can be soft enough to use, especially in soups, but after the New Year it is likely to be tough and will have to be discarded. Once your leeks have reached the stage of being mostly hard core and tough outer leaves it is time to relegate them to the compost.

Leeks provide several nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, and B6. Leeks are very low in calories, but do contain a decent amount of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins like vitamins A, B6, C, and K, and minerals like copper and manganese.

Water, Leek Flower (95%), Salt, Flavour Enhancer (E621), Preservative (E211).

How do you thicken white wine pasta sauce? If you're finding your sauce not thick enough, you can add in a little bit of flour at a time to thicken it up.

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.