I think leeks might still be the most amazing plant in the garden. The seeds are so tiny, and I start them before anything else. And yet, the full-grown leek is one of the last things I harvest. When I put the plants in the garden, they look like individual blades of grass. I always think they are never going to make it. A little water and they lie flat on the bed. It’s usually pretty cold still there in April, and they just hold on.
They require more work than other plants, too. You have to keep hilling them up, keep bringing in heavy soil or compost to pile around the shaft. Only the covered part will stay white and develop into the part of the leek that is desirable. They’re often thin even six months later when it’s time to harvest them.
This was a good year for leeks.
A good year for leeks means the shafts were wider, they had more layers, than in other years. They were tall and strong. Most if not all of them made it to maturity. I waited until after several light frosts, and then, mostly because we haven’t gotten any rain and I didn’t want to water anymore, I dug them up. And then I tried to find something really special to cook them in.
I did make a batch of potato leek soup. It was fine. I’m not the biggest soup lover in the world. And I think there were too many potatoes to leeks in the ratio. I also made three pints of one of my favorite things, a red pepper leek olive with vinegar and oil tapenade you can put on bread that is amazing (I have now given you all the ingredients so no need for a recipe). I canned those and will be loving them so much in the spring. This past spring I had two half-pints and I ended up stuffing them in chicken breasts when the red pepper sauce was finished. Really delicious.
Salmon and leeks seem like an obvious combination, so I went looking for a leek and salmon pie recipe. I found several on epicurious.com, but they all had the same problem. Puff pastry. I don’t know why, but I’ve always been intimidated by puff pastry. I pulled out the box that had been sitting in my freezer for two years and, well, it cracked into tiny pieces in my hand. Should I buy another box and try again? With some encouragement from my Facebook friends, I went and bought a box of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry.
I chose the simplest leek and salmon pie recipe, one that didn’t involve pie weights and pre-cooking the crust and didn’t involve cream, goat cheese, herb cheese, AND cream cheese (really??). In fact, it didn’t call for any cheese or cream at all. The reviewers, though, said it was dry– except that it comes with a red pepper sour cream sauce that solves that problem.
I decided to add some half and half and dot the mixture with goat cheese before baking, to kind of help it out. And I must say, it was a fantastic and suitable use of leeks. Served with some freshly-picked greens with a dill/lemon vinaigrette, it was too good for Thursday night. And, fear of puff pastry conquered.
Here is the recipe, which I will certainly make again.
Leek, Salmon and Goat Cheese Pie
- 4 large leeks (I used 7 medium leeks)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbs half-and-half or cream
- 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless salmon fillet
- 1/4- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill leaves
- coarse salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 oz of goat cheese
- sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- a 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets (thawed according to package instructions)
Cut white and pale-green parts of leeks crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. In a bowl of cold water wash leeks well and lift from water into a colander to drain. Pat leeks dry. In a large skillet cook leeks and garlic in butter and oil over moderate heat, stirring, about 5 minutes. Cut salmon into roughly 3/4-inch pieces and in a bowl toss with leeks, dill, salt, and pepper until combined well.
In a small bowl whisk together egg and water to make an egg wash. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin roll 1 puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square and the other into a 12-inch square. Transfer 10-inch pastry square to a floured large baking sheet and mound salmon filling in center. Dab goat cheese on top and if you like a kick, dab on some hot sauce as well (I used a little sriracha).
Brush edges of pastry evenly with some egg wash. Carefully drape remaining pastry square over salmon and gently press edges together to seal. With a sharp knife trim edges of pastry to form a 10-inch round. Crimp edges and cut 4 steam vents on top of crust. Brush crust evenly with some remaining egg wash. Chill pie, loosely covered, at least 1 hour and up to 3 (I only had 1/2 hour for chilling).
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake pie in middle of oven until pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Serve pie warm or at room temperature with a sour cream based sauce. You can make a sauce with lemon juice and dill, with hot sauce, with cilantro, with red peppers pureed in a blender. But I do recommend a sauce.
Adapted from here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Salmon-and-Leek-Pie-100934
I am really glad to have read this. I have been wanting to try leeks for a few years now. Next year for sure! Funny, a friend gave me leeks from her garden and I made potato leek soup today too.
Do it, Cynthia! Start them inside… and hill away! The reason leeks end up with dirt in the rings and have to be washed is because you keep heaping dirt up around them and they “grow” out around it… And potato leek soup can be very good!
Oh, I didn’t know that. Sounds a bit like growing potatoes. Guessing they’re heavy feeders, from what you wrote. I’m already excited and I will definitely try them this year!