Melted Leeks with Cream

Leeks have a delicate onion flavor and smell a bit like scallion. With a hint of nutmeg and a small splash of cream added to the delicate taste, this simple side dish becomes a complex delight that will compliment fish, poultry or beef.

Photography by Heaven on Hearth

 You will need:

4 stalks leeks, yields 5 cups sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Remove the course outer stalk of the leek as well as cutting off the very dark green leaves at the top, as they don’t have a lot of flavor and are quite woody and chewy.

We will be using the white onion base and the light green stalks. Slice leeks in ¼ - ½ in slices. Then they need to be washed a few times as leeks tend to hold a bit of sand in between the layers. Rinse under running water, ensuring all the sand has been removed. I tend to rinse them at least 3 times. To check that they are free of sand, fill a bowl with water; place the sliced leeks in the water. Remove the leeks with a slotted spoon and if the bottom of the bowl is clear of sand, you can drain and dry on paper towels. If not, continue to rinse them until clean.

Heat a deep skillet, over medium high heat, and then add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. 

Once the butter has melted, toss in the washed, drained and dried leeks, sauté for 3 minutes before adding 2 more tablespoons butter. 

Sauté for another 2 minutes, then add ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Allow the leeks to melt for another 5 minutes before adding 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Remove from heat.

This serves 4. Voilà. This is a wonderful side dish for meats, poultry or fish. This is also a beautiful compliment to Salmon with Garam Masala Baked in Parchment