Leeks Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS (Serves: 4-6)

6 leeks
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

STEPS

1. Bring a large, wide pot, half-full of salted water (2 tsp of salt for 1 qts of water) to boil;
2. Clean the leeks, and keep them whole;
3. Rinse off any visible dirt from the leeks. Use the tip of a sharp knife to pierce the leek just a little bit below the point where the leek’s shaft opens up into separate leaves. Cut the leek from this point all the way out to the tip of the green leaves, keeping the shaft whole. Open up the leaves, and place the leek under running water to clean out any dirt or sand;
4. Cut off the dark green tops, leaving about an inch or two (or three if you like the more strongly flavored greens) on the shaft. And cut off the roots as close to the roots as possible. (It helps to keep the leeks together);
5. Place the leeks into the boiling water. Return to a simmer and lower the heat to maintain a simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the thickest part can be easily penetrated with the tip of a sharp knife;
6. Remove the leeks from the pot and place into an ice water bath to stop the cooking;
7. Remove the leeks from the ice water bath and let them drain for 10 minutes;
8. Place the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a jar and whisk until well emulsified;
9. Place the leeks in a rimmed, long serving dish. Drizzle some vinaigrette over the leeks and turn the leeks so that each side can be drizzle with the vinaigrette;
10. Cover with plastic wrap and let the leeks marinate in the vinaigrette for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days

TIPS

1. When draining the leeks, you can place them in a pan and then propping up the pan at an angle so the water can run out the leeks.
2. The longer you marinate, the tastier and more tender the leeks become.
3. Alternative serving suggestion: cut the marinated leeks crosswise into 1 inch long segments and serve with strips of roasted red bell pepper marinated in the same vinaigrette

WELLNESS TIPS

1. Leek contains nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, folate, vitamin A, copper, iron, and vitamin B6.
2. It also contain a significant amount of fiber that helps with digestion, control blood glucose and cholesterol level.
3. With all the benefits, eating leeks can be beneficial in controlling blood glucose and blood pressure.

Recipe adapted from: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/leeks_vinaigrette/l