Of all the alliums, leeks are my second favourite of the bunch, coming in second only to garlic. Their mild flavour, soft texture, and meltable quality make them so versatile; they pair with everything from chicken to pasta to eggs.
My introduction to leeks was via potato and leek soup. A classic, hearty, warming winter staple that is silky from the potatoes with an onion-y bite from the leeks, perfect for dipping, but not a dish where the leeks truly shine. Because I had never eaten leeks in any other form, I never really knew where to start with them, so I did what I always do when faced with a new vegetable – I chopped it up into small pieces, and I sauteed it simply with some olive oil, some salt, and some pepper and had a taste. They start off with a strong, onion-adjacent flavour, but the more they cook down, the sweeter and more jammy they become. But they don’t take on a caramel flavour the way onions do – they retain more of their savoriness, more of their bitter notes that just mellow out with additional cooking. As they reduce down, they also become unbelievably tender, with very little chew.
Now I knew what I was working with, my mind exploded with ideas. I immediately started thinking about creamy sauces, delicate proteins, and other light dishes that would complement the wilted down leeks without overpowering their flavour. They slowly began to make their way into other recipes I had tested and cooked over the years, often replacing onions as the star allium, as I much preferred their savoury softness to onions’ sweet caramelization. They worked exceptionally well with seafood, especially my favourite flaky fish – cod, and anything with a creamy base that allowed the leeks to melt into them.
This charred leek orzo is a perfect example of that. The leeks, when halved longways and thinly sliced and charred, have the most amazing jammy texture, and the charred fond left behind in the pan is a great base for the creamy sauce that coats each grain of orzo in its silky goodness. The end result is a dish that is rich, unctuous, and the perfect side for any flaky fish or simple chicken – or simply enjoy right out of the pan!
Ingredients:
2 leeks
1 cup orzo
2 cups milk
2 cups water
2 tbsp cream cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic
2 tbsp parsley
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat a pan over low heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Slice the leeks in half lengthways and then finely slice. Give them a good wash by agitating them in a bowl of cold water, draining, and then repeating, letting the leeks float to the top and any sand or dirt sink to the bottom. Scoop them out of the water gently so as to not re-incorporate the dirt into the clean leeks, and carefully add them to the hot pan along with the garlic and lightly salt.
- Increase the heat to medium and sauteé for about 10-15 minutes, until the leeks have significantly reduced in size and have developed some colour. There should also be a dark crust forming on the bottom of the pan – it will look dark, but that’s fine – it’s flavour!
- Once you have a good colour on some of the leeks and the fond has developed, remove the leeks from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with a tiny bit of water, scraping all the fond up. Add the orzo and remaining oil, and toast the orzo for a minute until it has developed some colour.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the water and milk in alternating half cups, waiting until each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next. If the pasta is still too al dente at the end, add more water as needed. There should be enough liquid left in the pan to act as the base for your sauce.
- Once all the liquid is added and the pasta is cooked to your liking, reduce the heat to low, add the leeks back in along with the cream cheese and stir to combine. Top with the parsley and fresh-cracked black pepper and serve immediately.
Notes:
- This cooking method mirrors the cooking method of risotto, so it’s crucial to wait for the liquid to fully absorb before adding the next half-cup so that you end up with a silky, emulsified sauce.
- Turning the heat to low before adding the cream cheese will ensure the sauce doesn’t break or curdle, leaving you with a smooth, creamy sauce.
- You can also add cheese during the last step to make this a cheesy leek orzo, but if you opt to add cheese, cut the heat completely to avoid graininess and stir until the cheese is thoroughly combined.
- Double-washing the leeks is crucial! Dirt gets stuck between the layers so the double agitation ensures that all of that dirt is cleaned off.
xx,
girlwhocooks
