Chicken and Leek Casserole
A great use for leftover chicken or turkey! Sharp cheddar is called for in this recipe, prepare for warm and gooey deliciousness!
Ingredient: Leeks
Leeks-
- Description
Leeks have dark green tops that are usually removed because they are tough, but save them and add them to your stock. The tender white bottoms are the more usable section of the vegetable. Leeks are in the onion family and add a mild sweet onion flavor.
- Preparation
Leeks are great in soup and stews, they can be grilled, baked, boiled, steamed, or sautéed. They are very versatile and add a great amount of flavor. Leeks are sweeter than onions.
** Leeks need to be cleaned well, they often contain a ton of dirt that you may not even see. Try slicing them and peeling back the layers to clean them completely.
- Storage
Refrigerate your leeks, wrap them loosely in plastic and place them in the veggie drawer. Leeks can last a week or more.
- Nutrition
Leeks are packed with vitamin K, A, C, E, fiber, folate, and several important minerals as well.
Recipes Using Leeks
Squash Soup in the Squash
You can make this one using a pumpkin OR a squash, pick your “bowl” and go to town! This recipe can be quite flexible. Use veggie broth if you want to keep it vegetarian. Parmesan cheese is quite yummy with this combo.
Potato Leek Soup
This hearty adaptation of Potato Leek Soup was brought to our attention by fellow Springdellian Dawn DeMeo, fresh from Cooks Illustrated. Veggie broth may be substituted for chicken broth or stock (obviously negating the “vegetarian” status of the dish.) We love this soup because it uses the whole leek to flavor the broth, giving the final product a beautiful green color often missing from this type of soup. The perfect accompaniment for a big ‘ole crusty piece of bread!
