One Ingredient Five Ways: Leek

Leek is delicious and like garlic and onion, it has its own distinct flavour. It's pungent when raw, but when cooked it becomes milder. Use them liberally while making soups, savoury dishes, pastas, and dips.

Leek Soup
Take four potatoes, peel, and cut in cubes. Take three leeks, wash well and cut down the centre lengthwise. Remove the green portion and chop the white portion in fine pieces. Sauté lightly in 1/2 cup butter. Add 2 tablespoon chopped shallots , 1 cup plain water or chicken stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt, few chopped celery leaves, the cut potatoes, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Take out the potatoes and leeks and mash them well. Add this puree to the broth and add 2 tablespoon milk, 1 cup cream, and 1/2 cup butter. Cook in simmer for around 5 minutes and serve hot.

Leek Salad
Take 1 kg leek and cut them lengthwise. Wash it well and boil it in salted water for about 5-10 minutes. Take 1/3 cup oil, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, juice of 1 lemon, 3-4 cloves fresh crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon mustard, and salt to taste. Mix lemon juice, pepper, garlic, mustard and oil. Slice the leeks and stir in the sauce.

Leek Quiche
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Take 4-5 leeks and coarsely chop them. In heavy sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoon butter and add the chopped leeks. Sauté for 5-8 minutes and check. It should not turn brown. Season with salt and pepper. Beat 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1 cup cream. Pour this mixture over the leeks and sprinkle cheese and parsley on top. Put it in any quiche making mould and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Lamb with Leeks
Take 2kg lamb, preferably the leg pieces, and make small deep slits. Take a handful of mint leaves and wrap thinly sliced garlic pieces with them and push into the slits. Take 2-3 shallots, 5 chopped leeks,
Place 2-3 shallots, 5 chopped leeks, 1 cup chopped carrots in a roasting tin and put the lamb pieces. Drizzle 2 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper and roast in the preheated oven for almost an hour. Add 2 cups of vegetable stock to the lamb and simmer in gas gently till it thickens. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Mashed Potatoes with Leeks
Take 2kg potatoes, add 1 teaspoon salt, and boil for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Take 3-4 leeks, remove the roots and thinly slice them. Take 2 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over and sauté the leeks for 5-8 minutes. Mash potatoes with a potato masher. Add 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and blend well. Stir in leeks and serve hot.