Regular onions, both green and onions, have long been an integral part of our kitchen. Without onions and the preparation of most of the most common dishes is unthinkable. But leeks are much less known. You can rarely see it in stores, and it is not very popular among summer residents and gardeners. And it’s completely in vain - it is used in many cuisines because of its unusual taste and considerable benefits. But we'll come back to this later. First, let's tell you more about the preparation.
What part of the onion should I eat?
You can often meet people who are frankly disappointed in leeks after trying them once. They claim that his greens are too hard and even cooking cannot make them more tender. Alas, these people made a serious mistake, which led to the emergence of such an opinion.
After all, you don’t need to eat greens or onions, like other varieties of onions. The tender white part is eaten, which sits deep in the ground, replacing the bulb itself. In addition to it, a small lower part is eaten green feathers and then only in young shoots. Connoisseurs use only the white part.
It needs to be washed thoroughly, especially if the leek is grown on sandy soil. Otherwise, sand will creak on your teeth during lunch, which will not please your household. You can not only rinse, but also soak the white shoots for half an hour, then rinse again. Only after this can you start cooking.
The white part has a surprisingly subtle and unusual taste - something between regular green onions and garlic. Very aromatic, it will add a special flavor to any dish, regardless of whether it was fried, boiled, stewed or used for serving.
The green leaves are very hard. They are not eaten at all in any form. After all, even finely chopped feathers remain tough when cooked for a long time and can ruin any dish. But many people feel sorry to throw away the luxurious green top, and they found interesting application for her.
What to do with green feathers?
As mentioned above, they cannot be eaten due to their harshness. But just because you can't eat them doesn't mean they're useless in cooking.
Experienced chefs often use a bouquet garni - a bunch of dry grass tied with thread. Its composition may be different, depending on the preferences of the cook: parsley, Bay leaf, basil, tarragon, celery roots, rosemary and much more. You can also add here green leaves leeks.
Bouquet garni is most often used when preparing soups. During cooking, the bunch is lowered into the pan and removed shortly before the end, saturating the dish with a pleasant aroma.
As you can see, benefits can be gained even from foods that are not edible. So, when you decide to cook a dish with leeks, do not be lazy to collect their feathers and dry them, so that in a few days, weeks or months you can please your loved ones with a familiar dish with an unusually refined and rich aroma.
Use in cooking
Now we’ll tell you how to use leeks so that they reveal the whole bouquet of flavors and aromas.
First of all, it can be eaten fresh. Some people eat the sprouts as a snack, simply dipped in salt, but most people prefer to add it to salads with fresh vegetables. True, only a young stem is suitable for this, until it hardens. Secondly, you can add the chopped product to almost any dish that uses regular bow. The white part of the leek shoot can be used in casseroles, pies, soups and any other dishes.
But still, this is a more “noble” product than a simple onion. And thanks to its subtle and rich aroma, it can easily complement dishes that are atypical for our cuisine.
For example, if you chop leeks and make mustard-egg sauce, you can serve the resulting dish as an unusual cold appetizer. Stew leeks with cherry tomatoes, beans and garlic and an unusual but very satisfying vegetable stew is ready. Mix finely chopped leek with cod fillet, potatoes and Parmesan - you get an excellent filling for a layer cake that will impress even the most picky gourmets.
As you can see, the scope of application of leeks is simply huge. Need more detailed recipes? We'll get back to them a little later. But first, we’ll tell you why it’s worth enriching your diet with it.
Benefits of leeks
It is eaten in different parts of the Earth - Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Why? Because many chefs make sure that their dishes are not only tasty, but also healthy. And leeks are just perfect for this.
The list of vitamins and minerals that make up the plant is quite extensive. There are vitamins B1, B2, C, E and PP. This is a real find in the spring, when vitamin deficiency weakens the immune system and you urgently need to strengthen the body so that it effectively resists any diseases. In addition, it contains a large number of potassium, which makes leeks an excellent diuretic. It is also rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium.
Leeks are very useful for people who want to lose weight. On the one hand, it has an extremely low calorie content - only 33 kcal per 100 grams. On the other hand, it speeds up metabolism, allowing you to quickly get rid of excess weight during physical activity.
In general, the list of diseases that you need to add leeks to your diet to get rid of or prevent is quite extensive. We list only the main ones:
Of course, the product is not a panacea, but it useful qualities undeniable. It is best to consume young sprouts fresh - this will allow you to get the maximum benefit. But even after boiling, stewing or frying, when leeks lose some of their beneficial properties, they still remain a real find.
Are there any restrictions?
However, in everything you need to know when to stop. And you shouldn’t eat kilograms of a healthy product. This can significantly increase stomach acidity and even lead to gastritis. If you use leeks regularly and a lot, your blood pressure also increases.
Women during the lactation period are especially advised to limit the consumption of fresh product or even refuse it - milk may become bad smell, and the child will not want to eat it.
Use in folk medicine
Using leeks according to folk medicine, allows you to achieve good results. In addition to the benefits described above, it will be useful to remember a few additional recipes.
Are you tormented by boils or the site of a gadfly or bee sting? Grind the white part of the leek into a paste (you can use a blender or a simple grater), apply to the wound, cover with film and tie with gauze for several hours. The swelling will go away quickly, and the pus will drain out.
Even a severe sore throat can be cured in two to three days if you gargle with leek juice every day.
It also helps with more serious diseases, such as pneumonia. Conventional inhalation is used here. The onion needs to be finely chopped or grated, put in a jar and inhaled in steam. But for each new inhalation it is advisable to use a fresh portion - the old one quickly loses beneficial features.
Delicious and simple recipes
Finally, we’ll tell you how to cook leeks and give a couple of recipes that will impress even picky gourmets.
If you want to make a sophisticated and unusual soup, vichyssoise is the way to go. Take:
Melt butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan and fry finely chopped onions. Add chopped leek and fry for another 5 minutes. Pour in the broth and throw in the chopped potatoes. When it is cooked, remove the potatoes and leeks with a slotted spoon and grind them in a blender. Return to the pan and pour in the cream. Bring to a boil and get a very light and tasty puree soup.
Many people will like a light salad. For it you will need:
Boil eggs and potatoes, cool, peel and chop finely. Cut the leek into rings and mash a little to make it more tender. Chop the cucumbers. Mix all ingredients, season with mayonnaise and add salt if necessary. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top and serve.
Surely these dishes will allow you to make a real splash in any culinary society - even the most spoiled gourmet will appreciate their delicate and unusual taste.
Leeks are not as popular in our kitchen as their relative, onions. It's a pity! It was served to the table of the rich back in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. This vegetable was considered to have a more refined taste than onions and garlic. In addition, it was famous for its beneficial qualities.
Nowadays, we somehow bypass this king of vegetables and underestimate its properties. We rarely see it on store shelves, and vegetable growers practically do not supply it to food markets. And the reason here is that we know little about this plant and do not know how to cook it. Therefore, let's figure out why this vegetable is useful and what are the ways to use it in cooking.
Characteristic
Leek – annual herbaceous plant originally from the Mediterranean. Now they have learned to grow it everywhere because it can adapt to any climate.
The green leaves of onions are wide, flat, hard, as if covered with wax. The taste of the white part is sweet and spicy.
Benefits and harms
Leek contains 90% water, but it is a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals that are important for a person to live productively. Its energy value is 33 kcal per 100 grams.
Beneficial features:
- rich in calcium, sodium, iron, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium;
- contains folic, nicotine and ascorbic acid, essential oils;
- rich in vitamins B, H, PP, C, A, E.
Please note that during storage the amount of vitamin C in onions only increases. The vegetable is successfully used in cosmetology and medicine. Carotene supports vision and improves hair condition. Essential oils improve immunity and maintain skin tone. The low calorie content of the plant explains its presence in many dietary recipes.
Despite all the positive properties, leek can also be dangerous to health: Large consumption of onions increases acidity in the stomach and blood pressure, so those who suffer from gastrointestinal diseases and hypertension should not eat it. If onions are abused while breastfeeding, the milk develops a peculiar taste, which can lead to the baby refusing to eat. Leeks can cause an allergic reaction like hives.
As you can see, the cause of all these problems is an excessive reliance on vegetables in food. Therefore, the main rule is to eat leek in reasonable quantities.
Use in cooking
Leeks are a universal product. As soon as it is not consumed, both fresh and boiled, it is frozen, salted, pickled, and dried. It is used to prepare both independent dishes and seasonings or additives for vegetable preparations.
Onions must be used correctly for food: only the white part of the onion and the lower young leaves are suitable. Cooks most often throw away the tough green leaves. But thrifty housewives have found a use for this part of the vegetable. They tie the green leaves into a bunch and boil them in the soup, and when done, pull them out like a bay leaf. There is another way to use green leaves for soups. They need to be cut thinly and added to the soup immediately at the beginning of cooking.
Many surprisingly tasty dishes are prepared from leek. Let's look at some recipes.
Salad “Onion with egg”
Wash fresh onion (1 pc.), cut into rings, salt and mash. We do this carefully. Boiled eggs(3 pcs.) finely chopped. Mix everything and add white yogurt or sour cream. Sprinkle fresh dill on top and you are ready to eat.
Chinese cabbage salad with apple
We take all the ingredients in equal proportions, for example, 400 g each. Wash the leeks, dry them on a towel, and cut them into rings. Add it to the shredded Chinese cabbage in a cup. Using a coarse grater, grate the apples, previously peeled and without seeds, and combine with the prepared vegetables. Salt, pepper and mix. Season the salad with vegetable oil or sour cream. Can be used as a side dish for fish or meat dishes.
Salad "Vegetable Family"
Very easy to prepare. Cut the white leek stalk (1 pc.) into thin circles. Coarsely grate black radish (1 pc.). Chop boiled eggs (2 pcs.). Mix everything and add pickled corn (the contents of one jar). Season the prepared salad with white yogurt or a mixture of thick sour cream and mustard, and mayonnaise.
Potato soup
Cut onions (1 pc.) and leeks (1 pc.) into half rings. Potatoes (450 g) and bacon strips (4 pcs.) - cubes. In a frying pan with vegetable oil or butter (1.5 tbsp), fry the bacon, add the onion and fry for another 5 minutes. Reducing the heat, put the potatoes in the pan and pour in the meat broth (1.2 l). Bring everything to a boil and cook for another 20 minutes. Add salt and ground black pepper. Place chopped fresh herbs and 1 tbsp in bowls with soup. l. sour cream.
Onion Pie
Dough: kefir - 1 cup, eggs - 3 pcs., mayonnaise - 200 g, flour -1.5 cups, salt, sugar and baking powder. Mix all the ingredients into a dough.
Then we begin to prepare the filling for the pie. To do this, chop onion stems (2 pieces) into rings, salt and fry in vegetable oil. Cheese (150 - 200 g) finely grated. Mix onion with cheese.
Turn on the oven to 180 degrees and start preparing the pie. Divide the dough into two halves. Grease the mold with butter and pour the first part of the dough into it, then add the onion filling and fill everything with the rest of the dough. Bake the pie for twenty-five to thirty minutes.
Pancakes
Cut the leek stalk (2 pieces) into half rings and simmer in a frying pan under a lid in vegetable oil. After 10 minutes, remove from heat and leave to cool. Peel the potatoes, boil and mash. Grate the cheese. Mix everything, adding two eggs, ground pepper, chopped herbs and salt. We form small flat cutlets from the dough, roll them in flour or breadcrumbs and fry in vegetable oil. We serve pancakes with sour cream to the table.
Chicken with onions
Cut the chicken fillet (400 g) into pieces. Chop the leek into rings and fry in a frying pan in vegetable oil. Add chicken pieces and fry, stirring occasionally. When the chicken is ready, pour in the dressing, which consists of soy sauce (4 tbsp) and honey (1 tsp). Simmer over low heat for two minutes. Serve the chicken hot.
Carrots with leeks
Chop carrots (6 – 7 pcs.) into strips, leeks (1 – 2 pcs.) into slices and sauté them in vegetable oil for 5 minutes. Then, reducing the heat, add white wine (3 - 4 tbsp) and simmer for 10 minutes. Salt. This dish can be used as a salad or as a side dish for meat or fish.
Stewed tomatoes with leeks
You need 500 g of onions, 250 g of tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of flour, 0.5 cups of sour milk, 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil, sugar, salt, pepper.
Chop the leek, fry in oil, add peeled and chopped tomatoes. Fry and add, stirring constantly, flour, and then milk, sugar, pepper. Salt and bring to a boil.
Fish with onions
Any fish fillet (300 g) cut into cubes. Chop onion (3 pcs.) into rings and fry in butter. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the fish to the onion, mix and, cover with a lid, simmer until done. Five minutes before the end of cooking, reduce the heat, add cream (200 ml), salt and ground pepper.
Use in medicine
Leek is especially famous in folk medicine. It has the most beneficial effect on the human body when eaten fresh.
Regular use of it various dishes also useful because it:
- improves metabolic processes;
- stabilizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
- strengthens nerves;
- invigorates, improves memory;
- helps preserve vision;
- increases immunity;
- prevents the aging process;
- strengthens the heart;
- has an antimicrobial effect;
- helps remove fluid from the body.
Doctors advise including this product in the diet of sick people for the treatment or prevention of various diseases: atherosclerosis, arthritis, anemia, cystitis, and colds.
We offer several simple folk recipes.
- If you have boils or have been bitten by a wasp, chop the white part of the onion and apply the pulp to the wound. Cover with film and tie with a bandage for several hours. Onion draws out pus and removes swelling.
- A sore throat can be cured in two or three days by gargling with leek juice several times a day.
- Inhalations are useful for pneumonia. The onion should be grated and its vapors should be inhaled.
We offer some tips, which will reveal the secrets of cooking and storing leeks.
- The tastiest onions are young ones, so buy stems about 4 cm thick.
- Place it in the refrigerator for storage unwashed. plastic bag. If the onion is wet, you must first dry it by placing it on paper towel. In this form, the vegetable can be stored for about a week.
- If you need to boil the onion, first chop it and then cook in salted water for at least 5 minutes. To prepare onion puree, boil it for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Since the middle of the stem is tough, chefs recommend cutting it out.
- When frying with other vegetables, focus not on the rosy color of the onion, but on its structure. Ready leeks are always soft.
- Beat off the onion stem with the side surface of the knife, then the rings will easily separate from each other when cutting.
- To reduce cooking time, use leeks pre-cut into slices and frozen in the refrigerator. There is no need to defrost, just add it to the dish that is being cooked on the stove.
Leeks are a unique member of the onion family. Thousands of people have appreciated this product. Include leek in your daily diet and stay healthy.
About how to cook tasty dish from leeks, see the next video.
Legend has it that during the Anglo-Saxon attack on Wales, the patron saint of this country, Saint David, used a leek to ensure victory for his charges. At that time, the armor and weapons of the warriors of the fighting sides were no different from each other, and the battle took place on an onion field. It was then that the resourceful saint came up with the idea of attaching a leek stalk to the helmets of his soldiers. The tide of the battle was turned, and the defenders of Wales managed to repel the enemy invasion. So the leek became a hero.
To this day, on St. David's Day, the Welsh attach leek feathers to their clothes, and for lunch they serve soup from this member of the onion family. Tribute to the vegetable is also paid during the New Year celebration: on Scottish tables there is always leek in its own juice with the addition of herbs and butter. By the way, Emperor Nero loved this dish very much: he was sure that it gave strength and a special sound to his voice.
There are much more vitamins in leeks than in its onion brother. It is especially rich in vitamin C, so leeks are useful for people with weakened immune systems. It is curious that even when dried, this plant does not lose its qualities. Leeks have the unique property of accumulating vitamin C during storage - its amount increases approximately 2-3 times over the course of a year.
In addition, this miracle onion also contains such a rare substance as polyphenol. It increases the level of nitric oxide in the blood, which helps dilate blood vessels and reduce the load on the heart. Leeks are also recommended for those who are on a diet. It is low in calories, but at the same time satisfies hunger perfectly.
Leeks can play both a major and a secondary role in a dish. But in any case, his presence will be noticeable. The white and most tender part of the stem is used. Please note that leeks sit very deep in the ground, so they need to be washed especially carefully, ideally by soaking them altogether. Professional chefs finely chop the white part and change the water in the bowl until there is no sediment at the bottom.
Leeks are stewed with mushrooms and vegetables, added to pie fillings or stuffed dishes. And salads with this ingredient can be prepared every day and will never be repeated.
For 4 persons: leeks - 500 g, potatoes - 6 pcs., onions - 1 pc., green onions - 50 g, chicken broth - 1 l, butter - 100 g, cream - 200 ml, salt, ground black pepper
Melt butter in a saucepan, fry finely chopped onions in it. Then add chopped leeks and fry for another 5 minutes. Add peeled potatoes, cut into cubes, and pour in the broth. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for half an hour. Beat the finished soup in a blender along with cold cream until soft and puree-like. Cool, sprinkle with finely chopped green onions. Can be served with croutons.
Calorie content per serving 451 kcal
Cooking time from 60 minutes
6 points
For 6 persons: leeks - 700 g, potatoes - 400 g, green peas - 500 g, green onions - a bunch, eggs - 4 pcs., pickled cucumbers - 3 pcs., mayonnaise
Wash the potatoes and boil them in their skins. Hard boiled eggs. Cool, peel and chop into small pieces. Wash the leek thoroughly, cut into rings, lightly rub it with your hands to make it softer, and place in a deep bowl. Pour in the pickled cucumber brine and leave for half an hour. Chop cucumbers green onions chop. In a bowl, mix potatoes, eggs, pickled leeks, cucumbers, peas and green onions. Season the salad with mayonnaise. You can lightly salt it and garnish with canned corn.
Calorie content per serving 187 kcal
Cooking time from 60 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 5 points
For 4 persons: leeks - 125 g, cheese - 50 g, potatoes - 2 pcs., puff pastry - 300 g, carrots - 1 pc., eggs - 2 pcs., salt, ground black pepper
Cut the leek, wash and put in boiling water. Once the onion is soft, transfer to ice water. Peel the potatoes and carrots, boil and cut them. Combine with onion, egg, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 3 mm. Cut out circles. Place the filling on each, fold in half and seal the edges. Place on a baking sheet and brush with beaten egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C. You can also add corn to the filling.
Calorie content per serving 366 kcal
Cooking time from 70 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 7 points
For 6 persons: leeks - 700 g, wheat flour - 250 g, butter - 125 g, eggs - 4 pcs., milk - 150 ml, 20% sour cream - 150 ml, cheese - 100 g, salt, ground black pepper
Grind flour, salt and cold butter into crumbs. Beat in the egg, pour in ice water (30 ml). Knead the dough and put it in the refrigerator for an hour. Then roll out to a thickness of 1 cm. Place in a round shape. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. For the sauce: break eggs (3 pcs.), add sour cream, milk. Mix. Salt and pepper. Finely chop the cheese and leeks - both the white and green parts. Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Blanch the leek for a couple of minutes and place in a bowl. Place cheese on the crust and leeks on top. Then fill everything with sauce to the very edges. Bake for 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 200°C.
Calorie content per serving 450 kcal
Cooking time from 150 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 8 points
For 6 persons: leeks - 4 stalks, chicken thighs - 6 pcs., dry white wine - 250 ml, sour cream - 120 g, butter - 30 g, olive oil, salt, ground black pepper
Season the thighs with salt and pepper. Melt butter with olive oil. Fry the chicken (2-3 minutes on each side). Post it. Chop the onion. Fry in the same pan, stirring, until soft. Pour in the wine. Add thighs, simmer covered for 15 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 15 minutes. Drizzle with sour cream.
Calorie content per serving 546 kcal
Cooking time from 70 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 7 points
For 3 persons: leeks - 2 pcs., asparagus - 200 g, greens (any) - a bunch, lemon juice - 20 ml, cod - 500 g, butter - 60 g, cinnamon - a pinch, cloves - a pinch, nutmeg - a pinch, olive oil, salt, ground black pepper
Cut the leek into rings. Heat in a frying pan olive oil, add leeks and fry them for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Take off. Cut the fish into medium pieces. Melt butter with cinnamon, cloves, pepper and nutmeg. Fry the cod until golden brown (7 minutes on each side). Salt and pepper. Peel the asparagus, add salt and cook for 10 minutes. Combine onion with chopped herbs, chopped asparagus, and lemon juice. Serve with fish.
Calorie content per serving 393 kcal
Cooking time from 80 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 5 points
For 5 persons: leeks - 2 pcs., potatoes - 6 pcs., onions - 1 pc., chicken - 1 pc., tomatoes - 2 pcs., carrots - 1 pc., greens (any) - a bunch, vegetable oil, salt , ground black pepper
Cut the chicken, rinse, cut into pieces, add water (2 liters), salt and put on fire. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame, after 10 minutes add the diced potatoes and cover with a lid. Chop the onions and leeks, grate the carrots and fry everything in oil for 5-7 minutes. Add to soup 15 minutes after potatoes. Chop the tomatoes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Chop the greens. 5 minutes before it’s ready, throw the tomatoes and herbs into the pan. Let stand for 5 minutes and pour into plates. At the end, you can add a bay leaf to the dish.
Calorie content per serving 196 kcal
Cooking time from 70 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 7 points
For 6 persons: leeks - 350 g, walnuts - 50 g, vegetable broth - 100 ml, eggs - 2 pcs., crackers - 18 pcs., yogurt - 2 tbsp. l., parsley - 2 sprigs, dill - 2 sprigs, olive oil, salt, ground black pepper
Chop the leek and fry in oil for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth, cook for 5 minutes, then drain. Walnuts and beat the leek in a blender. Chop the greens. Separate the yolks from the whites. Mix the yolks, herbs, salt, pepper and yogurt, pour into the onion mixture. Beat the whites and pour them in. Make balls and bake for 35 minutes at 180°C. Serve on crackers.
Calorie content per serving 135 kcal
Cooking time from 55 minutes
Difficulty level on a 10-point scale 4 points
If we talk about what leeks are and how to cook them, you should know that they are very similar to onions, but their taste is sweeter and more delicate. It can be used as a seasoning for many dishes, it gives them an indescribable aroma. Let's look at what can be prepared from leeks.
Salad with eggs and leeks
Ingredients:
- 300g leek feathers;
- 5 eggs;
- sour cream or mayonnaise of your choice;
- dill to taste;
- salt to taste.
1. To prepare this salad, you should take fresh onions. They should be washed thoroughly, cut into small pieces, salted and mashed.
2. Boil the eggs in advance, peel and cut them. Add to onions.
3.Also put mayonnaise or sour cream in the salad bowl and stir.
4.Chop the dill to taste and sprinkle on the salad. All is ready. By the way, you can eat it by spreading it on bread.
Onion salad seasoned with vegetable oil
- leek;
- lemon juice;
- vegetable oil for refueling;
- salt.
Salad with onions, apples and cabbage
Ingredients:
- 300g leeks;
- 300g apples;
- 300g cabbage;
- 100g carrots;
- greens to your taste;
- mayonnaise;
- salt to taste.
1. For this salad, you need to cut the onion into slices very thinly. Place the same amount of pre-chopped apples and cabbage in the salad bowl.
2.Also peel the carrots and grate them on a fine grater. Add to salad. All that remains is to add lemon balm, tarragon and basil.
3. Dress the salad with mayonnaise. Stir. You can also add a little celery to taste. Add salt if necessary.
Onion salad with tomato and sweet bell pepper
To prepare you will need:
- 300g leeks;
- 300g tomato (preferably cherry);
- 2 pcs. bell pepper;
- sour cream or vegetable oil.
1.Rinse all vegetables. Take small tomatoes and cut them into slices. Also cut the onion into thin slices. Place everything in a salad bowl.
2. Peel the pepper and cut it into strips. Mix everything, season with vegetable oil or sour cream.
Leek puree soup with cereals
For four servings of soup you will need:
- 300 or 400 grams of leeks;
- 5 - 6 tablespoons of pearl barley porridge or 8 tablespoons of rice;
- 1 tablespoon butter;
- 1 - 2 tablespoons of wheat flour;
- 4/5 cup milk;
- 1 egg;
- 1.2 liters of vegetable or meat broth.
1. Cook pearl barley in advance. In a frying pan, simmer chopped leeks in butter and broth. After this, grind these ingredients in a blender. Then you should bring the resulting mass to a boil.
2. Prepare white sauce. To do this, fry the flour and mix it with the onion broth. Add this sauce to boiling soup.
3.Now prepare the egg-milk mixture. Separate the egg white and yolk. Add hot milk to the yolk and heat the mixture until thickened, but do not boil it. Season the soup with this mixture. Do not boil it any more, remove from the stove.
Puree soup with leek cream
Required ingredients:
- 300 grams of leeks;
- 200 grams of potatoes;
- 100 grams of sour cream;
- 700 ml water or broth;
- parsley - to taste;
- salt - to taste;
- croutons - to taste.
1.Finely chop the leek and place it in boiling salted water or broth. It should be cooked for ten minutes.
2.Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into cubes. Add it to the broth. Add some salt. Once the potatoes are ready, remove the soup from the heat and puree it in a blender.
3.Put on the fire again and slowly add sour cream. The soup is ready. Serve the soup, sprinkling it with ground pepper and parsley to taste. Add croutons.
Onion fritters
- 1 kilogram of leeks;
- 200 grams of cottage cheese or feta cheese;
- 300 grams of potatoes;
- 120 grams of vegetable oil;
- 2 eggs;
- 50 or 70 grams of flour or breadcrumbs;
- fresh parsley - to taste;
- ground black pepper - to taste;
- salt - to taste.
1.Finely chop the onion. It should be simmered in vegetable oil, covered with a lid. Then remove from heat and cool.
2.Pre-boil the potatoes and puree them. Grate the cheese or mash the cottage cheese. Add potatoes and cheese (cottage cheese) to the onions. Also add raw eggs, chopped parsley and ground black pepper. Mix everything.
3. Form small cutlets with your hands, dip them in breadcrumbs or flour. Place in a frying pan and fry until golden brown. Pancakes can be served in different ways. For example, with sour cream or pickles, it will also be a very tasty addition to broth or boiled pork, meat, fish.
Delicious leek omelette
To prepare we will need:
- 150 grams of leeks;
- 2 eggs;
- 50 ml milk;
- 15 grams of vegetable oil;
- 25 grams of cheese;
- parsley - to taste;
- salt - to taste.
3.Beat eggs with one tablespoon of milk and pour this mixture into the mold. Place more ham on top. Place the dish in the oven at medium temperature. Serve with vegetable salad.
Now you know where you can use leeks and how to prepare dishes from them. They turn out very tasty and healthy. As you can see, this ingredient can be added to many dishes; leeks only enhance their taste.
Alexander Gushchin
I can’t vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)
Content
A relative of the onion is the leek. It is an annual herbaceous plant with a more delicate, creamy and even sweet taste. This species is also called pearl. It is used by chefs as a dressing or the main ingredient for a wide variety of dishes, several of which you will find in the recipes with the photo below.
What to do with leeks
The Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of greenery, but today the variety is often grown in the beds of our country. The culture, sweet and not sharp in taste, was used as food by the ancient Romans and Greeks. Now, thanks to its taste and benefits, it has been adopted by modern cooks and even healers. Before you cook this unusual vegetable, it is worth finding out why it is useful. Along with a small amount of calories, greens contain many substances essential for human health:
- carotene;
- iron;
- vitamins of groups B, C, E;
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- essential oils;
- sodium;
- protein;
- folic acid.
The beneficial properties of the product are manifested in diseases such as scurvy, gout, rheumatism and obesity. Although there are contraindications for the use of this vegetable: it should not be used by those who suffer from diseases of the stomach and duodenum, especially during exacerbations. There are a lot of options for what to make from leeks. Here are some ways and tips for using it at home:
- It is recommended to use only the white part of the stem, although some recipes also add green leaves to it.
- Vichyssoise soup and various puree soups are very tasty from this species. Separately, it is worth mentioning the Scottish “cock-a-leekie soup”, the recipe for which definitely requires this type.
- Stewed stems would be a good side dish. Lemon juice is suitable as a dressing.
- Original recipes - gratins, casseroles, pastas, gravies or sauces made from stems.
How to cook leeks
Be sure to learn how to use the product so you can do both simple salads, as well as more original and even festive options. The stems can be boiled, stewed or fried, even in batter or butter in breadcrumbs. The leaves are also edible; when cooking broth, they are convenient for wrapping a bouquet garni, that is, a bunch of fragrant herbs, and in steamed recipes they can be used as a base. To thicken the stew, use boiled leeks. First you need to divide it in half to remove dirt and soil residues. Before cutting it, you need to remove the top leaves.
Leek dishes - recipes with photos
Some national cuisines They even use pickled stems, which are rolled up for the winter and then used as a snack. The pale part of the plant turns out very appetizing in pureed soups with spinach, tomatoes, nettles, sorrel, potatoes and carrots. The product can be used in all cases where a delicate onion flavor is needed. It also adds a pleasant aroma to simple meat broth.
Salad
- Cooking time: 30 minutes.
- Number of servings: 4 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 105 kcal.
- Cuisine: European.
- Difficulty: medium.
Can be served very delicious salads with herbs, light snacks or more satisfying ones with the addition of meat - chicken, and sometimes even pork or beef. In the latter version, the salad comes from the warm category and can be an addition to cereals, potatoes or pasta, although as an independent snack it will be no worse. Men will be especially happy about this, because the snack contains meat.
Ingredients:
- olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
- chicken breast – 2 pcs.;
- sweet chili sauce – 0.25 tsp;
- lemon – 0.5 pcs.;
- bell pepper- 1 PC.;
- parsley – 50 g;
- soy sauce – 1 tsp;
- salt – 0.5 tsp;
- garlic – 2 cloves;
- onion stems – 3 pcs.;
- carrots – 1 pc.
Cooking method:
- Mix lemon juice with chili and soy sauce, add crushed garlic.
- Peel the vegetables, rinse and chop into strips. Finely chop the parsley.
- Wash the breast, dry it, then cut it into pieces and fry in hot oil until tender. This will take 3-5 minutes.
- Next, add vegetables to the fried chicken, stir, season garlic sauce and greens.
- Fry for a couple more minutes, stirring. Then let cool slightly, but serve slightly warm.
Soup
- Cooking time: 40 minutes.
- Number of servings: 4 persons.
- Calorie content of the dish: 43 kcal.
- Purpose: for lunch / dinner.
- Cuisine: European.
- Difficulty: medium.
The soup recipe with photo is worth taking note of for those who are trying to lose weight. The first is dietary due to low-calorie products selected in a very interesting combination. Red lentils, adjika, white part of the stems and orange - the soup comes out original in taste and pleasant in appearance. Citrus juice makes the soup fresh and slightly sour.
Ingredients:
- adjika – 1 tsp;
- red lentils – 50 g;
- vegetable broth or water – 300 ml;
- carrots – 150 g;
- pepper, salt - to taste;
- fresh greens - a little for decoration;
- celery root – 150 g;
- vegetable oil – 1 tsp;
- leek – stem 6 cm;
- orange – 1 pc.
Cooking method:
- Wash the lentils several times, cook without adding salt according to the instructions described on the package.
- Heat oil in a thick-walled pan and fry finely chopped onion.
- Next, add broth or water. After boiling, add chopped celery and carrots.
- After 15 minutes of cooking, add adjika, add boiled lentils. Pepper and salt.
- Simmer for a couple of minutes, then grind the mass using a blender.
- Season with orange juice and bring the soup to a boil again.
- When serving, garnish with a sprig of herbs.
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Leeks - benefits and harm, recipes healthy dishes with photo
