3 eggplants (about 2 pounds)
2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with 2 teas. of salt
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
3 TB. tahini
8 TB. olive oil
3 leeks, cleaned and cut
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Clean and cut leeks. Toss in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes. Pull out and cool.

Increase temperature to 425 degrees and cook eggplants whole in the oven for about 45 minutes.

Let the eggplants cook, then cut them in half and scrape away the skin. Put all the insides and juices in a food processor. Add leeks, garlic, lemon juice and zest, tahini and olive oil. If it’s too thick, add water. Add salt and pepper to taste.



1 lb. pasta

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into bite sized bits
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, stems removed
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
Any combination of the following:
spinach
chard, cut into strips
onions, in chunks
leeks, sliced
asparagus, in bite sized pieces
squash, large dice
zucchini, large dice
bell pepper, large dice
green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
mushrooms, sliced
cabbage, large shred
fennel, sliced into thin matchsticks

Cook pasta until al denta, set aside. Over medium low heat, cook the bacon pieces until crisp. Carefully remove bacon bits from pan, add to the pasta. In the same pan, over medium high heat, add vegetables that need to cook the longest, such as onions, leeks, asparagus, green beans, peppers, mushrooms and fennel. Cook 4-6 minutes, tossing for even cooking. Add tomatoes and cook covered another 8-10 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft. Add vegetables such as chard, spinach, squash, and zucchini. Cook until greens are just wilted. Add bacon and pasta to the pan, cook 2 additional minutes until pasta is warm. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Toss with parsley and walnuts and serve.



adapted from The California Cook by Diane Rossen Worthington

2 TB. olive oil
4 medium leeks, white part (cleaned & finely chopped)
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
6 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 TB. all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups corn kernels (7 medium ears)
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes
8 fresh basil leaves
2 TB. tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
1 teas. salt
1/4 teas. pepper

Relish:
1/2 cup reserved diced tomato
1/2 cup reserved corn kernels
1 TB. finely chopped fresh basil
1/8 teas. salt, pinch of pepper

In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks, carrot, and celery, and sauté for about 5 minutes or until softened. Reserve 1/2 cup of the tomatoes for the relish, add the remaining tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon, making sure the flour is dissolved. Continue cooking for 2 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the corn kernels for the relish and add the remaining corn kernels, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, tomato paste, and stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for about 25 minutes. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pour the soup through a strainer into a large container. Add the seasoning. Bring to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

For the relish, finely chop the reserved tomato and place in a small mixing bowl. Add the reserved corn kernels, basil, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.



adapted from The Kitchen Diaries: A Year in the Kitchen with Nigel Slater

3 yellow squash
4 leeks, finely chopped
olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 TB. all purpose flour
3 large eggs
1/4 lb. feta cheese
small bunch chopped parsley
tomato salsa to serve

Coarsely grate the squash into a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave in the sink for half an hour or so. Warm the leeks with a little oil in a shallow pan. Pat the squash dry with paper towels. Peel and chop the garlic and stir into the leeks with the squash. When all is soft and starting to turn pale gold, stir in the flour and continue cooking for a couple of minutes or so, with the occasional stir, to cook the flour. Beat the eggs lightly and stir them into the leek mixture, then crumble in the cheese and the chopped parsley. Season with black pepper and a little salt.

Heat four tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan, drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil and let them cookin until they are golden on the underside. Turn carefully - they will be fragile - and cook the other side. Lift the cakes out with a spatula and drain briefly on paper towels. Serve with the salsa.



1 lb. red potato
2 white carrots
2 purple carrots
2 orange carrots
5 leeks
3 TB. olive oil

Pesto:
2 bunches basil

1 TB. grated parmesan
2 TB. toasted pistachios
1 1/2 teas. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic

Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor. Set aside. Toss vegetables with 3 TB. olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Toss with pesto and serve.



from Foodnetwork.com

2 cups vegetable oil
1 large leek
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
Fine sea salt

In a medium sauce pot heat oil to 350 degrees F.

Clean and julienne leeks. Sift cornstarch and flour together. Dust leeks in flour/cornstarch and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Drain on a paper towel, season with salt.