Recipe of the Week: Pan-Roasted Leeks

Mmm, mmm good.

We traded the heat of New York City last weekend for the cool breezes and calming surf of Fire Island. It was absolute heaven, and perfect for the kids. No cars and close-together houses teeming with other children looking to play mean kids can roam outside with an impressive amount of independence. Plus, all the fun of the beach = everyone’s exhausted at the end of the day. My fave.

Another reason it was so nice: We had amazingly fun and generous hosts who cooked for us non-stop! We had lots of great food, but one dish stood out: roasted leeks. Mmm.

We love leeks and use them “in” things all the time, but never prepare them as a dish on their own. Now we will. Their sweetness pairs beautifully with the grilled meats of summer (we had ours with steak and balsamic chicken) and they make a welcome change from the ubiquitous green salad.

Here’s how our host made them — super-simple.

Pan-Roasted Leeks

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

Wash and slice leeks, then put them in a pan and toss with olive oil and quite a bit of salt. Roast them in the oven until very soft (they’ll get brown and caramel-y in spots.)

I found a similar recipe in Nigella Lawson‘s book Nigella Express, which you could also use for inspiration. She uses baby leeks and garlic-infused oil instead of basic EVOO. Here’s the recipe.

But the point is: Leeks on their own. Delish.