Why it works: Leek and carrot match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,310 recipes. Both carry coumarin, which smells sweet, hay. The science ↓
Leeks in Olive Oil
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Trim leeks.
Remove a few of the outer layers.
Slice ¾" thick and discard the tough green leaves.
Wash well in several changes of water.
Cook
In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil.
Stir in the leeks and carrots.
Cover and cook very gently for 30 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally.
Blend in the remaining ingredients in order.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, checking the liquid.
Add more water if necessary.
When fully cooked, it should be very moist but not watery.
Serve
Serve cold with lemon juice.
Serve as part of a buffet including other vegetable dishes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Carrot | 1 medium (61g) | 25 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Leek + carrottop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,310 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Olive + ricetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,994 recipes
Shared aroma: trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
-
Leek + ricetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together161 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Carrot + ricetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,477 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Olive + lemontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,922 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Leeks
- Form the main body of the dish, becoming soft, silky and mild as they cook slowly.
- Olive oil
- Carries flavor and adds richness while helping the leeks cook gently without browning.
- Carrots
- Add sweetness and color as they soften in the pan.
- Uncooked rice
- Releases starch as it simmers, thickening the cooking liquid and giving the dish body.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness that balances the mild, slightly bitter edge of cooked leeks.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity and brightness that lifts the flavor when served.
The step that matters
Simmering with checked liquid. The rice needs enough liquid to cook through and thicken, but too much water makes the dish watery. Checking and adding water as needed keeps it moist and prevents scorching on the pan.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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