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Turkish Leeks
Without a book project to work on I am free to cook as I please. I mean I don’t have to test recipes. I don’t have to cook only Southern Italian food (the upcoming book), or Yiddish food (the last book), or NYC food (the book before that). I am cooking things I want to eat, not things I need to write about.
There’s a big overlap there, as I would never write a book about food I didn’t want to eat – and cook – so, yes, a couple of nights ago I made pasta with butternut squash and sausage, which is in the upcoming “The Southern Italian Table,” and I recently made a big batch of vegetarian chopped liver, which is a recipe form “Jewish Home Cooking.” To break the fast on Yom Kippur, at my sister’s request, I made a Blackout Cake, Ebinger’s style, a recipe from “Arthur Schwartz’s New York City Food.” I am embarrassed to say it did not turn out well. Don’t ask! I ended up turning it into a Blackout Triffle, alternating broken chocolate cake layers and chocolate pudding in a footed triffle bowl. I considered adding some preserved sour cherries, to make it a Black Forest Triffle, but I am glad I didn’t. I found out my sister doesn’t like preserved cherries. I served it with plenty of whipped cream. No one complained.
I’ve been cooking favorite recipes from my past, too. I recently baked Laurie Colwin’s spice cake (largely nutmeg), which is here with the great story that is behind it. I hadn’t made that in years, but a reader told me she uses it as a base for carrot cake and I figured I should try that variation. With the extra moisture of the carrots, it was too pudding-like for my taste, but I love the original cake.
I’m also on a mini Caesar Salad jag --the original 1929 recipe. I’ve been sautéing red bell peppers at least a couple nights a week, before the season is over. Some nights I do them plain, some nights with onions. One night I sautéed them with garlic, capers and Gaeta olives. And I’ve made babaganoush several times recently. It keeps in the refrigerator for several days, if not a week, and I love it as an afternoon snack on high-fiber flatbread.
The eggplants in the market come in so many shapes and variations of purple that I’ve been buying them just to look at them in a big glass bowl, then, well, you’ve got to cook them before they get old. All you do is bake them in a 450-degree oven until they collapse and ooze. Remember to prick some holes in the eggplant, otherwise they will explode in the oven. Then scrape the flesh off the skins (discard skins), beat the eggplant pulp it well (by hand with a fork), stirring in a little tahini (sesame seed paste), crushed garlic, salt, and lemon juice.
Following is a Turkish leek dish that I love, and when I saw leeks at a good price in the market, I couldn’t help but run home and prepare them.
TURKISH BRAISED LEEKS
Serves 4 as an appetizer (among others) or a side dish
A friend asked me what makes these Turkish. The answer is everything. This is the way Turkish cooks prepare any number of vegetables, including artichokes and, more to the current season, green beans. An old-fashioned Turk would use much more oil than I do, and likely more sugar. But go by your own taste, and use your judgment. Lemon and dill also make these Turkish. That's a flavor combination Turk's love.
3 large leeks, white and light green only (about 1 pound without greens)
1 medium carrot
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
2 tablespoons raw rice
Several tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Cut the leeks cross-wise into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces. Wash very well without breaking apart the pieces.
(Note: Inspect the leeks before cutting them. Some leeks will harbor a lot of sand. Look between the top green leaves to see if this is the case. If so, it may be necessary to cut the leeks in half lengthwise first, to wash the sand out between the layers. In that case, the leeks will fall apart in the pan, but they will still be very delicious.)
In a pan (with cover) large enough to hold the vegetables in more or less one layer – a pan with an 8 to 10-inch bottom – combine the leeks, carrot and oil. Place over medium heat. As soon as the vegetables begin to sizzle, turn them in the oil, lower the heat to very low, cover the pan and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Moisture will accumulate in the pan. Do not add any at this point.
After 30 minutes, add the water, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Stir well. Sprinkle on the rice, stir again, cover again, then cook over medium-low heat for about 18 minutes, adding the dill for the last 5 minutes, until the rice is soft and the juices in the pan have thickened.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
NOTE: The recipe is easily doubled, but use only 4 tablespoons of oil, at most, 1/2 cup additional water, and only 3 tablespoons of rice. Adjust the seasoning – double the salt, use about 3/4 teaspoon sugar, but wait until the leeks are fully cooked before adding more sugar and salt than that, and more lemon juice.
