Alien Food

My brother Jonah is a carnivore. well, a few years ago he was. But that all changed with his first encounter of Turkish-Style Braised Leeks. When this was placed in front of him, and he took a bite, it was literally the best vegetarian dish he had ever tasted, and it would (in my family at least) forever be known as "Alien Food" (ie. what kind of human would eat a dish without a meat element). It doesn't look like much, but the taste is incredible. 

The key things to consider when making this recipe is being patient, and using quality ingredients. That usually means organic, fresh, and imported. Organic leeks usually have some more dirt in-between their dark leaves, but i've found that their layers are more tightly bound, and fresher. And most important, OLIVES. Us low-quality olives and you'll be able to taste it! I usually go for dark kalamata olives with the pit. it's so easy to pit your olives with a cherry pitter and well worth it! expensive olives are just so much more flavorful! 

Alien Food

Adapted from "Turkish-Style Braised Leeks" in The New York Times

time: about 1 hour makes about 4 servings

ingredients
2 lbs fresh leeks (8 large or 10 medium) white and light green parts only
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 large or 5 small carrots, peeled, sliced
1 vegetable bouillon dissolved in 1 cup warm water (i prefer knorr)
1/2 tsp sugar
black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice (i usually just squeeze one lemon)
12 black olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup roughly chopped italian parsley leaves 

instructions

1. trim the roots from the white part of the leeks, and the dark leaves from the top. then slice leeks lengthwise. clean between the layers of the leaves, getting rid of any dirt. (run under water, firmly grasping pale parts and separating darker greet layers to get between them)

2. cut the leeks crosswise into pieces approximately 2 inches long.

3. peel carrots, and cut slices  about 1/3 of an inch thick at an angle. 

4. place a large skillet (with a lid) or a saucepan on medium heat and add oil. when the oil is hot (you'll be able to smell the olive oil) combine the leeks and carrots and stir gently every once in a while, until the leeks are slightly softened. 

5. Add the boullion with water, sugar, and pepper to taste. cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the leeks are very tender, about 30 minutes. 

6. in the meantime, pit and chop your olives. after the leeks are tender, stir in the lemon juice and olives and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. 

7. stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 

This is excellent on its own, with gnocchi (as pictured), on a bed of quinoa, millet, couscous, with some fresh bread... endless. it's just delicious.