About six years ago, I did not know what a leek looked like. I knew that they tasted good in soup, but I had never seen a full fledged fresh leek. They basically look like giant green onions.
They are really much tastier, though, and very mild. My aunt Nadia made a leek tarte, and I absolutely fell in love. What's even better, though, is mini leek tartelettes. They're such fun and easy finger food. I chop up the leeks, whites and light greens only. (Use the dark stuff for stock.)
You've got to rinse them, otherwise there's nothing but nasty sand in your food.
Then cook 'em up in a big frying pan. If you want you can add bacon. Very delicious combination. If I don't have many leeks, I'll sometimes also add some onion. Stay away from the garlic, though, because leeks have such a subtle taste.
Then with a wide glass, can, or other round object, trace and cut out as many circles as you can.
Put each dough circle into your muffin tin, and fill halfway with cooked leeks.
Then fill up each cup with a roughly half and half combination of eggs and dairy. I tend to combine heavy cream, half and half, and fat free milk to get a sort of full-fat milk equivalent, but if you want to just use low-fat milk, or just cream, that's fine too. It depends how creamy you want your tartelettes to be.
Finally bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, and you've got the perfect appetizer, or light dinner with a couple on each plate and a side of salad.
Put each dough circle into your muffin tin, and fill halfway with cooked leeks.Then fill up each cup with a roughly half and half combination of eggs and dairy. I tend to combine heavy cream, half and half, and fat free milk to get a sort of full-fat milk equivalent, but if you want to just use low-fat milk, or just cream, that's fine too. It depends how creamy you want your tartelettes to be.
Finally bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, and you've got the perfect appetizer, or light dinner with a couple on each plate and a side of salad. Apparently there's a booth at our farmer's market that should be getting leeks again soon! Strange season, but I'll take them. Maybe I'll make soup.
Just one question - do you make your own pastry dough? Use a pre-made? Special recipe? Do tell! :) (Ok, I guess that's three questions, one subject. Oh well.)
ReplyDeleteI actually tend to buy the pre-made stuff. I've never made a pie crust that tasted noticeably better than pre-made, perfectly circular, already rolled out and refrigerated stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf I have the time, and want to save money, I use smitten kitchen's recipe http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/11/pie-crust-101/
Is it just regular pre-made dough? I've never actually bought dough before (just pie crusts) so I'm not sure what to keep an eye out for.
ReplyDeleteI made a leek gratin the other day and I thought that was good, but this looks amazing!
ReplyDelete