The short answer
This easy dish is a quick starter with a few ingredients. It's simple for beginners and turns a one-course meal into a two-course dinner effortlessly. I like to serve it with fresh bread to impress my guests!
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Cooking the leeks
What I love about this starter is its simplicity! I use the cooking technique called poaching, cooking the leek in water at temperature just under the boiling point. It is really effortless!
First, trim the roots and leaves. Keep only the white and light green parts. Slice the leek's upper part and wash it to remove all the dirt.
Then place the leeks in a pot with water and warm it just below the boiling point. Let the leeks cook until soft.
Once cooked, take the leek out of the water and let it cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette ⬇️
The vinaigrette
Here, I whisk together a vinaigrette with lemon and extra virgin olive oil, gradually whisking the oil until it emulsifies well. I season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
The first vinaigrette recipe I picked up in my vegan professional cooking course was this basic lemon and olive oil mix. It was quite nice, but I always felt it lacked a little something.
In my version, I add lemon zest and oregano before adding oil. It gives that zesty flavor that counterbalances the earthiness of the leek perfectly!
The Recipe
Poached Leeks Vinaigrette
Enjoy the delicious flavor of poached leeks, made better with a zesty lemon and oregano vinaigrette. This dish is an easy yet flavorful appetizer for your next meal with friends!
Prep time
5
mins
Cooking Time
15
mins
Servings
4
people
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized leeks
- 1 lemon (for juice and zest)
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the leeks and trim their ends. Halve them lengthwise.
- Poach the leeks in simmering water until tender, about 15 minutes, or until a knife slides through them easily.
- While poaching the leeks, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking the lemon juice with the lemon zest, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the lemon juice and mix well.
- Add gradually adding extra virgin olive oil while whisking to blend.
- Once tender, remove the leeks from the water and let them drain.
- Place the leeks on a plate and evenly drizzle them with the vinaigrette.
- Serve either warm or at room temperature, optionally garnished with extra oregano.
