Roasted Baby Leeks with Thyme
Adapted from Cook with Jaime by Jamie OliverServes 4
Baby leeks are just small leeks, but there are two things that are exciting about them: one is the fact that they haven't had the time to develop many green leaves or the fibrous structure that can sometimes make leeks stringy, and the second is that they are definitely sweeter than more mature leeks. The purpose of quickly boiling them in water and then roasting them, as the author has done in this recipe, is to make them deliciously soft and then to caramelize them so they develop a robustness that makes them wonderful served over or next to fish and meat. They will also add an interesting flavor to pastas or soups.
About 20 baby leeks
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
Preheat your oven to 400°F. I like to serve 4 or 5 baby leeks per person, depending on their size. Lightly trim both ends and peel back the first or second layer of leaves and discard. Drop the leeks in a pan of boiling salted water and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Drain them well (if there's too much water in them they won't roast properly) and toss in a bowl with a good glug of olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, the chopped thyme leaves and the garlic.
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 because once they get started it can happen fast!
Revision 2. Last edited Fri 6 Aug 2010 11:44am by NaomiSofer