This was from Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals: What to Keep on Hand, What to Buy Fresh for the Easiest-Ever 30-Minute Meals
Last night I made a leek and bacon side dish to go with some with some sauteed salmon fillets. We found the salmon to be a bit boring, but both my girls enjoyed the leeks.
Creamy Leeks with Bacon
The leeks were easy and good. The best tip was on cleaning them. Prior to this, I’d cut the root end off, then cut the dark green tops off, then cut the leeks lengthwise down the middle, but not all the way through the end. Then I’d hold them fanned out a bit under running water. RR said cut the ends as before, cut in half all the way through, then slice thinly and put in a bowl of water. Swish them around to rinse them, then let them sit for a few minutes. The grit will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Carefully lift the sliced leeks out without disturbing the water and let them drain.
Creamy Leeks with Bacon
Ingredients
- 3 leeks, trimmed, cleaned, and sliced
- 5-6 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup half and half
Instructions
- Chop up some bacon and cook in a skillet until crispy, then remove to dry a bit on some paper towels. If there’s LOTS of grease, drain some off, but leave a bit in the pan to cook the leeks in.
- Cook the leeks with some chopped garlic 3-5 minutes, and add salt and pepper.
- Add the wine and simmer a few minutes, then add the broth and half and half. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Top with the bacon and serve.
I find myself doing the exact same thing for my family. I find a recipe that I think sounds great, but I almost always change it a bit to leave out items that we may not like or add in a few things that we prefer.
Great idea the leeks. For the samon, I will add some (not much) peeled and chooped tomato.
Thanks for mentioning the book and passing on the link.
Annabel Macrory
A big fan of:
http://allrecipes.com/
http://www.recipezaar.com/
http://www.cupandahalf.com/
Hi Ellen, So glad I found your site. I’ll be referencing your cheapcooking site in an upcoming post. I’ve found a great way to add more flavor to salmon is by brushing on some pepper jelly or you could use whatever preserves or jelly you prefer and then pan searing. Deglaze the pan with a little balsamic vinegar after cooking and pour over top for a quick and delish sauce.