Work and Food Does Mix!

At work we have different committees and what not to help develop your skills and do a verity of different things. This quarter I got to be on the newsletter/multimedia committee. This is something new and so I figured I would do what I know best, write articles about food! so here is what I wrote for March's newsletter. Please let me know what you guys think. 

It is often said that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but with this weather you never can tell. Here in Florida it’s no exception. Traditionally, March is called “Grey Blast of Spring” as many of the winter vegetables are no longer grown but we have not yet had a large supply of spring and summer foods to replace them. But don’t despair there are some wonderful vegetables that are hearty enough to endure the winter and still delicious and ready to eat in the spring.


Spring Onion, Chicory, Endive and Leeks are all vegetables that are readily available in March. My favorite by far is the Leek and I am not the only one who thinks so. The Leek was made popular by the Ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks who all helped spread Leeks from their native Central Asia across Europe. But how does modern society eat leaks you ask? Well good question, whilst Leeks are fairly limited in their uses, they are terrific for the few they are good for. Leeks have a subtle flavor of onion. If you don’t like Red or Spanish Onions you will like Leeks.

The white part of the leek is what most people eat either grilled, steamed or sautéed and the green tops are used for stocks but I often eat the whole thing. The bottom portion of the Leek is white due to the soil which blanches the Leek. Leeks are very healthy for you as they have many of the dietary benefits of onions (They are in the same family). Leeks have been used to reduce cholesterol and offset diabetic heart diseases, and lower blood pressure just to name a few.

So now that you know a bit more about the tasty vegetable, I wanted to share my favorite Leek Recipe that I found on The Veggie Table website. The Veggie Table has a large verity of information on Vegetarianism, Veggie Nutrition and Cooking Terminology just to name a few. The Veggie Table website can be found at http://www.theveggietable.com/ But before you run out to make this recipe, you must clean your Leeks thoroughly due to the way they grow as they trap dirt and grit within the leaves of the vegetables. If you do not know how to clean your Leeks check out Veggie Tables tutorial located at http://www.theveggietable.com/techniques/washleeks.html. I hope you give Leeks a chance and try this recipe!

Leek Gratin

Yield 4-6 servings

Time 45 Minutes (preheat oven to 425)

Tools

o Knife

o Frying Pan

o Spoon

o Large Pot

o Colander

o 8 X 12 Baking Dish


Ingredients

o 4 Large or 6 medium whole leeks cleaned and sliced*

o 1 T Olive Oil

o ½ c of Sour Cream

o ½ t salt and pepper

o 1 t nutmeg

o 1 T Parmesan Cheese, grated

o 1oz Bleu Cheese crumbled **

o 2 c Cheese Grated

o 3 T Chives, minced
Directions

Slice the dark green parts of the Leeks into ½ inch rounds, separate into rings, and set aside. Cut the white and light greens into 2-inch pieces, and separate the layers.

Bring a pot of water to boil, add white and light green leeks, and boil until just tender, 2-3 minutes

Meanwhile, heat oil in the frying pan over meadium heat, add dark greens leeks, and saute stirring frequently, untill tender, about 10 minutes

Preheat your oven to 425

Combine sour cream with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Parmesan, and spread half of it over the bottom of the baking dish(es)

Arrange the dark green leeks on top, then cover with a third of the grated cheese and all the bleu. Add half of the white and light green leeks, then top with the rest of the cream. Add another third of the cheese, then the rest of the Leeks, then the rest of the cheese, and top with the chives.

Bake until Golden Brown and sizzling, about 10-15 minutes. Serve over whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

*This recipe makes wonderful use of the dark green parts of the leeks – Don’t throw them away!

** The original recipe calls for beu cheese and 6oz of another cheese, such as Gruyere, comte, or cantal. In my opinion, using these quantities would make it taste overwhelmingly of bleu cheese. I prefer just a hint of that particular flavor, so I only use a tiny bit of bleu and mix of cheddar, comte, monterey jack, and/or gouda for the rest.

This recipe, called Gratin De Poireaux au Trois Fromages et ciboulette in French, is adapted from The Vegetarian Bistro:250 authentic French regional recipes, by Marlena Spieler