The Cowgirl Chef: More ways to love leeks

Leeks vinaigrette, often served with chopped egg and capers, is a traditional French bistro dish.

▪ 6 to 8 small leeks, dark green ends removed (about 1 inch of light green is OK)

▪ 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

▪ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

▪ 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

▪ Salt and pepper to taste

▪ 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

▪ 1 egg

▪ 2 teaspoons capers, roughly chopped

1. Put a medium skillet of salted water on to boil.

2. Slice leeks and submerge them in a bowl of water to remove dirt. When the water boils, add leeks, turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until you can easily pierce the leeks with a knife.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, mustard, red wine vinegar and a bit of salt and pepper (err on the side of less — you can always add more). Whisk in oil. Taste again and adjust seasonings.

4. Remove leeks to a plate lined with paper towels and let them drain and cool.

5. Put egg in a medium skillet, cover with water and a pinch of salt, and turn heat to high. When it boils, reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Pour off hot water, then let cold water run on the egg until it’s cool enough to peel. Then peel and roughly chop.

6. To serve, divide leeks between two plates, drizzle some of the vinaigrette over the middle, and top with the chopped egg and capers.

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▪ 1 pound semi-waxy potatoes, such as red-skinned or Yukon gold

▪ 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for ham if necessary

▪ Sea salt and pepper

▪ 1 cup smoked ham, chopped into small pieces (see cowgirl tip, below)

▪ 1 leek, sliced into 1/4-inch rings (white and light green parts only)

▪ 2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Chop potatoes into 1-inch pieces and toss with olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Put on a cookie sheet and bake in oven until they’re brown on both sides, 30 minutes or so, turning over about halfway through.

3. Meanwhile, fry the ham over medium heat (if it needs oil, a small drizzle will do). Once it crisps, remove to a plate and leave any oil in the skillet. Add leeks and cook until they’re soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Add cooked potatoes and ham to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low.

5. Put a pot of salted water onto boil. Crack two eggs into separate small bowls and, when the water boils, turn it down to a simmer and gently pour the eggs one at a time into the water. Cook for 2 minutes.

6. Divide leek-potato hash between two plates or shallow bowls. With a slotted spoon, remove eggs one at a time and place them on a paper towel-lined plate for a few seconds to drain. Put an egg on top of each plate of hash and serve right away.

Cowgirl tip: No ham on hand? Use crumbles of leftover meatloaf, chorizo, sausage or bacon.

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Go dinner-party fancy: To dress up this soup, reserve some of the mushrooms and leeks and cook them separately over medium-high heat in your skillet. Then add as a garnish before serving.

▪ 1/4 ounce dried shiitakes, porcinis or a mixture

▪ 2 tablespoons olive oil

▪ 2 leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only)

▪ 1 pound white mushrooms or baby bellas, thinly sliced and stems included

▪ Salt and pepper to taste

▪ 1/4 cup cognac or other brandy

▪ 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

▪ 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Put dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them so they’ll reconstitute. Let sit until they soften.

2. Put olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add white mushrooms or baby bellas and cook until they soften, 5 minutes or so. (Note: The mushrooms will not get brown.) Pour the reconstituted mushrooms and their juices into the pot. Taste for seasoning.

3. Add cognac and let it boil for 2 minutes. Add stock and nutmeg, and let soup cook 3 to 4 minutes. Taste again for seasoning. Remove soup from heat and pour most of it into a blender (I reserved about one-fourth). Puree until the soup is creamy, then return it to the pot. Reheat if necessary before serving.

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▪ 1 pound green French lentils (lentils du Puy if you can find them)

▪ 2 tablespoons olive oil

▪ 1/2 cup chopped onion

▪ 1 clove of garlic, minced

▪ 1 carrot, finely diced

▪ 1 tablespoon tomato paste

▪ 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

▪ 1 bay leaf

▪ Salt and pepper to taste

Frizzled leeks:

▪ 4 tablespoons olive oil

▪ 2 leeks, the white and light green parts, thinly sliced

▪ About 4 tablespoons goat cheese crumbles

1. Pour lentils into a fine-mesh colander and rinse well.

2. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil, onion and garlic in a large soup pot and heat to medium. Let cook until onions become translucent, 5 to 10 minutes, then add diced carrot and stir occasionally. Let carrots cook until they soften slightly, about 5 minutes, then add rinsed lentils, tomato paste, stock and bay leaf. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover, let come to a boil, then reduce heat for 30 minutes or so. Taste lentils for doneness and seasonings.

3. Put 4 tablespoons olive oil into a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add leeks and fry until they brown. Remove to paper towels to drain.

To serve, spoon some lentils in a bowl and add a few crumbles of goat cheese and frizzled leeks in the middle.

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