Root to stalk cooking. Root to stem cooking. Zero waste cooking.
No matter the name, the concept is simple, use every part of vegetables and fruits rather than throw them away.
I’ve been working within this concept for some time. Great examples are these Potato Peel Chips (using veggie peels), The Whole Orange Cake (using, well, the whole orange), veggie concentrates (which use kitchen scraps), and Almond Pulp Crackers (using leftover almond pulp.)
Today we do it again with Wine-Braised Green Leek Tops. I’ve been a friend of the green part of the leek for a long time. Most recipes suggest using only the white portion of the leeks because they are more tender than the greens. It depends on the recipe, but I usually use some of the greens because I like the extra texture they bring.
Recently I made this Elegant Corn Chowder for a crowd and found myself with enormous amounts of green leek tops left over. After a good washing, I laid them out to dry. Then braised them low and slow with white wine. I’m seriously obsessed with these Wine-Braised Green Leeks. Obsessed! I ate them right out of the pan and put them on everything, including a Leek Grilled Cheese.
Save your leek greens, they are delicious!
Happy Eating,
~Monique
Wine-Braised Green Leek Tops
1 tbls olive oil
1 tbls ghee (choose a df butter for a vegan option)
6-8 cups sliced green leek tops
1-2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper/chili flakes
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/2 cup white wine or broth
1/2 lemon
Warm a mixture of olive oil and ghee in a large, deep skillet. Add the leeks, about 1 teaspoon of salt and the dried chili pepper. Toss well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and sautee another couple of minutes.
Add the wine. Toss, cover and let this sit and slow simmer; this is going to be about a 30-minute process so be patient. Toss once in a while and ensure the leeks aren’t too dry or getting too browned…add more wine or broth as needed. Ultimately the leeks should be softened and creamy looking.
Squeeze a half of lemon over the top and stir. Taste the leeks. Do they need more salt or dash of black pepper? If they are too liquidy- remove the cover and turn up the heat slightly to reduce the sauciness.
Now your Wine-Braised Leeks are ready.
- Eat in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil
- Or try them over fried eggs
- Layer on buttered toast.
- This Wine-Braised Leek Grilled Cheese is out of this world!