Lotsa Leeks (and some Spaghetti Squash too!)

  My Leek 
  Originally uploaded by purplespace.

I've been getting a lot of Dear Foodmomiac questions lately about fall produce. Mir emailed me last week asking for gluten-free spaghetti squash recipes that don't suck. And Lauren has emailed me for butternut squash recipes and just this morning for some leek ideas.

I have a few ideas for these ladies, but I'd love all of you readers to chime in as well. What do you do with your fall produce?

For the leeks, I'm tempted to have Lauren try something out of the ordinary. The usual suspect would be Potato Leek Soup, but with a glut of leeks in the fridge (Lauren belongs to a C.S.A.), why not go for something even LEEKIER. I've been thinking about this all day, and the best idea I have is to try a Braised Leek recipe. This idea came to me after browsing through Molly Steven's All About Braising book (one of my favorite cookbooks). She has a recipe for Braised Scallions. I googled Braised Leeks, and came across a bunch of recipes. Some included cream, some included bacon fat. This one sounds the best to me, mostly because of its simplicity. I also will point you to the phenomenal Mariquita Farm website. Their leek page is brilliant.

And now to address Mir's question. Spaghetti squash is tough, because I don't think it has the depth of flavor that other squash have. It's not as sweet, it's not as rich. Sure, it does that funky spaghetti thing, but that's not enough to make this vegetable sing. As Mir suspected, one of the best ways to make spaghetti squash taste good is to load it up with butter and cheese. But, there have to be some more interesting ideas out there, no? Indeed there are. This one sounds pretty interesting, though making it gluten-free will require a touch of finagling, as it calls for both flour and bread crumbs. However, I'm sure there are some good substitutes out there. Can any gluten-free experts chime in? Finally, not to be repetitive, but I also love the ideas on Mariquita Farm's website. Check out this Spaghetti Squash page. The first recipe is definitely intriguing, but I especially love the idea of making the squash into a pancake (you'll need to scroll down a bit). Again, to modify this for gluten-free, you'll need a flour substitute, but the amount of flour here is relatively small, so I think it will do well.

I'm going to handle the rest of the winter squash in another post. In the meantime, please let me know if there are other fall veggies and fruits that you are trying to use in interesting ways. I'm always happy to help!

(P.S. I have received all of your crockpot inquiries, and I'm working on an answer. The crockpot and I have a love/hate relationship, so it's taking me some time to create a response that is actually helpful. Stay tuned!

Comments

[Lauren]

This looks yummy. I'll let you know how it goes. Now about the leeks, how much of the green do I keep? Just the light part, right?

[foodmomiac]

Exactly. You only want to use the tender parts. Also, be very careful when washing them. Leeks hold an inordinate amount of sand and dirt. I usually slice them vertically and then soak them in water. The only drawback to this method is that you no longer get pretty rings when you slice 'em. You'll just get half circles. For this recipe, though, you need to slice them in half anyway, so you should be fine.

[Rach]

I love love love Marcella Hazan's past with leek sauce - I often make the leek part alone, and sometimes throw in chicken if I'm feeling the need for some protein. You can find the recipe here (scroll down):
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/276128#1456114

I must admit that I love spaghetti squash with bit of marinara sauce and a bunch of parmesan.

[Ingrid]

This only uses one leek or so, but leeks make the best topping for non-red-sauce pizza. Just put whatever else you would normally put on there (well, we only make veggie pizzas, so whatever veggie/cheese combinations you like) and sprinkly a generous amount of thinly-slice leek. Fabulous.

As for spag. sqash; I've never found a way that I do like it (and I like all of the others.)

My fall vegetable puzzle is celeraic. I've already pureeed it roasted with some other veggies. Now what? (I don't really want a celeraic soup with a bunch of cream in it. . .)

[ingrid]

oops. That is "sprinkle" and "pureed it and roasted it with some other veggies."

[M]

Here are some suggestions for cooking spaghetti squash gluten-free:

-Pamela's Pancake & Baking Mix is a great all purpose (self-rising too, since it has baking soda, baking powder, and gum(s)). You can buy it at drugstore.com, the natural section of grocery stores, or health food stores like Whole Foods.

-There are some gluten free pre-made bread crumbs but they aren't great. Instead, I've made my own by processing (putting in Cuisinart) either a gf rice krispy type cereal (Erewhon makes one) or by processing Van's gluten free (actually, allergen-free) waffles, which aren't sweet since they are sugar-free [I got this idea from the gluten-free goddess, Karina: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2005/11/best-gluten-free-bread-crumbs.html

Here is another gluten-free spaghetti squash recipe:
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/10/spaghetti-squash-mexicali.html

[foodmomiac]

Thanks everyone for the awesome suggestions! For the celeriac, my favorite thing is to combine it with mashed potatoes. I do love it, though. I'll need to find some more recipes (adding it to the list).

[amy]

What about cabbage recipes? I am getting lots of cabbage in my CSA box and would love ideas that go past coleslaw, and dishes using sauerkraut. I've tried a cabbage stew that was good, but now I have loads of it in the freezer.

[karen driggs]

I like to slice leeks very thin and saute them with other vegetables when I make an omelette. Especially good with bits of red bell pepper, spinach chiffonade, and gruyere. Leeks are gentle in the morning.

Another great recipe:

Capellini with Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus
1/4 c. olive oil
zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves (minced)
4 leeks (white parts only, chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbs. chives
2 tbs. dry white wine
2 tbs. butter
1 lb. capellini pasta
Fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Saute pan: Combine zest, garlic, leeks, salt & pepper, simmer 4-6 minutes covered. Slice asparagus into 1 1/2 in. length pieces. Add 3/4 of them to the saute pan. Add 1 tbs. chives, wine, butter and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add remaining asparagus to the pot of water. Cover for 2-3 minutes (these are not for eating!). Remove asparagus and cook pasta in "asparagus water". Drain. Reserve 1/2 c. of the "asparagus water". Return pasta to pot and add the asparagus leek sauce and the reserved liquid. Toss to combine. Top with grated cheese.

Serves 4.