Let’s just call a leek, a leek and put a name to it. LOVE. This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe choice, Leeks Vinaigrette with Mimosa, made my heart flutter. Oui, oui, il était délicieux.
I’d wager my winnings from California Chrome’s victory in the Derby that few of you cook with leeks. If I’d open your veggie bin, I probably would not discover this nutritional, high-in-protein allium. Called the poor man’s asparagus, although it’s now pricier, and first cultivated over 5,000 years ago, it’s time for us to take a leap into leek country.
After simmering until tender, about twenty minutes, drain, dry, cover tightly and put in the refrigerator.
Last Saturday evening my friend, Ann O’Brien, and I made dinner to welcome home our neighbors, Fred Venrick and Cathy O’Connell, who had just returned from two months in Europe. (Yeah, Readers, I know. I know. Me, too.) Bernie Grauer, a weekend bachelor, also joined us. Spur of the moment. Not much planning. The menu All-Stars would be Mint Juleps and Leeks Vinaigrette with Mimosa. Everything else was fair game.
I just had to make a bed of walnuts and the leeks dish would be ready for the table.
Besides Dorie’s leek recipe, I turned to Liz Berg at That Skinny Chick Can Bake and Joy the Baker for inspiration. Liz’s Orange Marmalade-Glazed Leg of Lamb was the perfect meat to grill. I paired that with Pistachio-crusted Asparagus with Feta created by Joy the Baker. To die for. Ann made Jacques Pepin’s very rich, yummy scalloped potatoes. Perfect. The dessert? Martha Stewart’s Chocolate, Peanut Butter Icebox Cake. Clean Plate Club.
Liz Weber Berg’s Glazed Leg of Lamb with Garlic & Rosemary
I even turned to Susan and John Lester at Create Amazing Meals for my wine choices. When the Lesters visited me in Cambria in February, John suggested I try local winery Peachy Canyon’s 2012 Vognier “Concrete Blanc”. A good recommendation. With the lamb, I opened an Italian wine, 2006 Conte Ottavio Piccolomini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane, a gift to me from the Lesters. (Memo from Bernie: Hey, John, send more.)
Asparagus, Lamb, Leeks, Potatoes – Buffet Ready
As the pictures hopefully show, the meal was wonderful, thanks, in part, to the many talented chefs and food bloggers who inspire me every day. I urge you to try this week’s FFWD recipe which, as usual, is written very carefully and clearly by our Dorie. Since I could not find young, smaller leeks, I bought large and cut them closer to the white part called the shank. Unlike other vegetables, you want leeks to be tender, not crunchy. For this recipe, in a normal altitude, try simmering them for twenty minutes. Because I live in the mountains, mine took thirty minutes.
Joy the Baker’s Pistachio-crusted Asparagus with Feta. I also mixed Dukkah, a nut & spice blend, in with the pistachios.
When the leeks were tender, I drained and dried them, untying each packet of three before plating. Next I covered them tightly to put in the refrigerator. Before serving I brought the vegetable to room temperature, poured on the vinaigrette and garnished with a chopped egg. Mimosa refers to the hard-boiled egg garnish which is thought to resemble the edible yellow mimosa flower. I used walnut oil in the recipe so also garnished the platter with walnuts. (Although I do think some refrigeration to “set” the tender shanks is necessary, you may choose to warm the leeks just before saucing and serving.)
Cathy and Bernie are dishing up their food.
Ann and I were both pleased with our efforts. We certainly fed those efforts to an appreciative crowd. Everything about the evening was happy, joyful and even quietly raucous. You will not be seeing photos of Ann’s and my Welcome Home dance/skit which, like the dinner, was spur-of-the-moment. We used the fireplace hearth as our stage. Although our dance moves were, in our opinions, Usher-extraordinary, those photos were deleted.
We even had room for Martha Stewart’s Chocolate, Peanut Butter Icebox Cake. Photo by marthastewart.com
French Fridays with Dorie is an international cooking group working its way through Dorie Greenspan’s Around my French Table. Although all the recipes in this post are already linked, you can again grab the recipe for leeks here. If you wish to see the efforts of my colleagues, go to our FFWD site.
What a feast!!! You must have the reputation of hostess extraordinaire in Aspen!!! Your lamb looks perfect as do all your dishes! Glad you enjoyed the leeks 🙂
Thanks for that great recipe, Liz. It was delicious and I shared the leftovers with everyone.
Looks like a wonderful meal and I enjoyed your pictures too.
So wonderful that you used recipes from other bloggers and put them together into a fantastic meal. So strange about high altitude cooking. I think I recall it taking longer to boil water when I was in the Andes… I also remember the car not starting because of lack of oxygen… or maybe it was just a dud of a jeep. Didn’t know you were a dancer?….hum.
Yeah, I don’t think anyone would call me a dancer. It’s amazing how a Mint Julep loosens one up!!!
Oh Mary what a wonderful meal! I’m sure everyone enjoyed your culinary skills! I have to make that lamb…it looks absolutely perfect! Your leeks also look quite good…glad they were a hit! I really enjoyed them too! Happy Mother’s day, Mary!! Enjoy your weekend!
Whoa. Thats a lot of name dropping in there missy. I’m feeling left out! j/k. I too through on some chopped walnuts as it seemed like such a natural with this one and given the cooked leeks, a little crunch was entirely appropriate. Inspired even! Great job!
I was going to write a paragraph in my Post in tribute to your assistance last Saturday, helping me make those leeks. Writing about your e-mails and sending pictures, site links and suggestions. I was a tad bit nervous, wouldn’t you say? I know it’s an unwritten rule not to serve first-time recipes to company. All my offerings were first timers. But, thanks to you, the leeks worked. I didn’t want to embarrass you by gushing. There will be other times for that……
Mary had another little lamb it seems. I am so sad I missed this event that Bernie has raved about. I didn’t tell him about Marco though.
We don’t want a picture of your dance, we want a YouTube video link to the whole performance 🙂
Sounds like a lovely party/ welcome home. There are usually a leek or two floating in my veggie bin -but they have always been relegated to soup. No more!
Looks like a wonderful dinner Mary. I want to be your neighbor 🙂
That looks like a fabulous meal, Mary. I’d like a neighbor like you. You put my favorite twist on the recipe this week with your bed of walnuts. That sounds like the perfect thing to bring out the flavor of the walnut oil in the dressing. I’ve been meaning to email you about books. Americanah is next in queue (next up for my book group at the end of the month). Happy Mother’s Day, my friend!
What a feast! Perfect menu! I will copy the line up for the next time I have people over! And I have to say great wine selection as well! I really like cooking with leeks but I don’t like then on their own so in fear of not loving this week’s recipe I skipped it. But I did try the vinaigrette and it was amazing/ I will definitely use it in other vegetables just not poached leeks! Have a great week Mary!
Holy moly – I wish I lived next door to you!
Fabulous spread, great meal!
No one’s ever accused John of having poor taste in wine – or women!!! That wine is from our wine broker, Carole = we’re happy to send you her information since she calls John every time it goes on sale. She’s wonderful – you would love her! Maybe next year we’ll have you come meet her for a wine tasting at our house with Christy & Trevor. Hmmm…we can even sit out in our beautiful garden.
So glad you enjoyed it all – and I’m sure your friends are happy to have you cooking for them once again.
What an incredible meal! Everything about it sounds absolutely delicious. I didn’t know leeks needed to be refrigerated before serving. Maybe that was my mistake. Good to know!