Roasted baby leeks with thyme
Baby leeks are just small leeks and there are two things that are exciting about them: a) the fact that they haven't had the time to develop many green leaves or the fibrous structure that can sometimes make them stringy, and b) they're definitely sweeter. For me, they signify late spring to summer cooking. The purpose of quickly boiling them in water and then roasting them, as I've done in this recipe, is to make them deliciously soft and then to caramelize them so they develop a robustness that makes them wonderful served over or next to fish and meat. They will also add an interesting flavour to pastas or soups. When I have friends round for dinner, I do everything in the method below in advance apart from roasting them, so all I need to do is flash them in the oven for 10 minutes.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
What these numbers assume — 5 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 20 baby leeks
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced