The Catskill Chronicle

By Jude Waterston

Every year, right after celebrating the New Year, my sister, Janet, and I have the pipes drained; take down the birdfeeders and wind chimes; clear out the fridge and freezer, and close our little house in the country for three months. We return full-time to the city to await spring; taking in a movie or two and finally getting to all those museum and gallery exhibits we miss hitting because we are upstate every weekend.

This winter was gloriously mild and the months without our weekend haven were easier to tolerate. As spring loomed we had the bright idea to open the house earlier than the first of April, our usual date. We did so this weekend and arrived at the house to find loads of buttercup-yellow daffodils swaying in the breeze and the giant forsythia in the front yard in bloom.

As I lugged shopping bags up the steps of the porch, a peek in the little garden that abuts the house revealed the true harbingers of spring. Three large clumps of bright green blades of chives had sprouted and were clustered, beckoning me. The first herbs of the season!

Chives are the smallest and most delicate members of the onion family. Their faintly oniony flavor and vibrant color makes them a useful, tasty and versatile herb. They are most often used as a garnish, along with the edible pompom-like pinkish-purple flowers that eventually bloom atop their stems. Chives can also, make an appearance as a bonafide ingredient in egg salad, butter sauces, biscuits, savory scones and cheese omelets.

Next up on the onion food chain is something I always have in the crisper drawer of the fridge, and that is a bunch of scallions. Scallions are most commonly referred to as green onions and are a variety of young onions with a long, thin white base that has not yet developed into a bulb and long straight green stalks that look like giant chives. Both the white base and the bright green stalks are eaten. Scallions are milder than mature onions, but are a bit stronger in flavor than chives. As with their diminutive relative, they are most often used fresh and raw in salads, as a crudité, or as a last minute tasty and ever-so-slightly crunchy garnish for finished dishes, particularly in the Asian community, where they are often showered over soups and entrees just prior to being served.

Finally, we move on to the majestic, most refined and understated (and underrated) member of the garlic and onion family. Leeks are prehistoric plants. The Greeks who colonized Rome began serious cultivation of this oversized scallion, resulting in a longstanding Roman predilection for leeks.

Words like sweet, silky, and velvety describe how leeks react to various cooking methods. They lend themselves to braising and baking which renders them meltingly tender. They are great sautéed with other vegetables as a base for a hearty soup and are a terrific component in egg dishes such as omelets, French tarts, Italian frittatas, and Spanish tortillas (a thick open-faced omelet cut into wedges and served at tapas bars).

Because of the way they grow and their leaves are formed, dirt and grit gets trapped between the tight leaves. Split them length-wise and rinse well under cool running water. The white and pale green shank of the vegetable is edible; the upper darker green leaves are tough and better off thrown on the compost heap.

Leeks are most often used as an ingredient rather than as a vegetable in their own right, but I did some investigating in a variety of ethnic cookbooks and one devoted solely to fruits and vegetables fresh from the farmer’s market. I found some lovely choices for utilizing leeks as a side dish, particularly with baked chicken, roast beef, or grilled pork chops or steak. Other recipes, such as those for tarts, egg dishes, and soups, showcase leeks in dishes that would be perfect for a hearty brunch or Sunday night supper.

In “The Foods of the Greek Islands” by Aglaia Kremezi, I was intrigued by such recipes as terrine of fish with leeks, orange and lemon; leek patties; and coiled spinach, leek, and fennel pie. In “Verdura” (Vegetables Italian Style) by Viana La Place, I found leek and spinach frittata; leek and winter squash soup; and a rich and impressive dish of leeks in pink mascarpone sauce. The “Gourmet” cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl, offered creamed leeks; poached leeks with warm vinaigrette; and grilled leeks with Spanish romesco sauce. The French “Bistro Cooking” by Patricia Wells had recipes for a leek tart and one for leek, potato, and bacon soup. Finally, in “Contorni” (Authentic Italian Side Dishes for all Seasons) by Susan Simon I found a simple recipe for gratineed leeks. This dish is perfect with crisp-skinned roast chicken, pork chops or loin, or a nice, juicy steak.

Gratineed Leeks

Serves 4

4 leeks, trimmed of dark green parts (leaving each leek about 6 to 7” long)

1 cup firmly packed grated Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese

¼ cup firmly packed finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs, lightly toasted in a dry skillet until pale gold and slightly crunchy

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, leaving the root end intact. Rinse thoroughly to remove any trace of dirt. Fill a large skillet or pot with 2 inches of salted water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat so that the water is simmering and add the leeks. Poach, uncovered, for 6 minutes. Use tongs to remove them carefully from the water so they stay intact. Let them drain on paper towels. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the béchamel sauce by melted the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes. Pour in the milk while stirring continuously, then raise heat to medium. When mixture is the consistency of pancake batter, add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Remove from heat and stir a few seconds until cheese is melted. Cover the bottom of a gratin dish (approximately 8 x 12”) with a thin layer of the béchamel. Line up the leeks, cut side up, in one layer. Drizzle the remainder of the béchamel even over the leeks. Sprinkle the Gruyere cheese and then the breadcrumbs evenly over the leeks. Bake until bubbly and browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.