Skip to main content

Potato Salad with Caramelized Leeks and Kale

I usually make a potato salad with caramelized leeks and pancetta, but I needed a vegetarian version for this weekend. I had some lacinto kale in my High Ground Organics CSA box, so I decided to add that.

Start by caramelizing leek coins and sliced kale...

Melt a pat of butter with a splash of olive oil in a large flat-bottomed pan. As the oil heats, sprinkle a small amount of salt over the leeks to help draw out the moisture. Put the prepared leeks into the pan and sautƩ. Once the leeks have wilted slightly, add the kale and 2 T of ginger syrup (or use honey). Add some water to the bottom of the pan and cover. Reduce the heat to low and allow to steam and cook. Stir the contents periodically.

Keep an eye on the leeks and kale. Don't let them scorch, but allow them to reach a golden brown. Remove them from the heat and add to your recipe.

Wash, cube, and boil potatoes - I used a mixture of purple, Yukon gold, and new red - till they are fork tender. Once they are cooked, drain them. In a large mixing bowl, place the potatoes, leeks, kale. Add mayonnaise, mustard (in this case I had hot and sweet mustard from Trader Joe's) and season it all with smoked sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Make this the day before you need to serve it so that the flavors have time to develop.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce

Aloo Tiki {Pakistan}

To start off our Pakistani culinary adventure, I started us off with aloo tiki - potato cutlets. I'm always game for tasty street food. I found a couple of different recipes and incorporated those together for this version. Ingredients 6-8 small red potatoes, scrubbed 1 T cumin seeds 1 T fresh chopped parsley 1/2 t ground coriander 1 t minced garlic Procedure Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let cool. Mash the potatoes. Traditionally they are mashed without their skins. I left the skins on. In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds on high heat until the begin to give off an aroma and begin to darken. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to keep them from cooking any more. Blend all of the spices into the mashed potatoes, then shape into small patties. If you wet your hands, the potato mixture won't stick to them. Heat a splash of oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Dip each patty into beaten egg and carefully place in the oil. P

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an