Young Leek Salad / Salade de Jeunes Poireaux

YOUNG LEEK SALAD
SALADE DE JEUNES POIREAUX

NOTE: It’s fine to mix the oils and the lemon juice in advance, but—very important—do not add the herbs until the very last minute. The lemon juice will bleach out their color and flavor if they sit together. If you cannot find tender young leeks, use just the white part of more mature leeks.

Two bunches of baby leeks, trimmed (about 1-3/4 lbs)
1-1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-1/2 tsp hazelnut or walnut oil
1 tbsp mild vegetable oil, such as grapeseed oil
2 cups fresh herbs such as basil, tarragon, lemon thyme, sweet cicely, garlic and regular chives, firmly packed
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, or to taste

1. Trim away the root end and the green part from the leeks. Cut the white part in half lengthwise, and rinse very thoroughly.

2. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in the bottom half of a steamer, and steam the leeks until they are tender, 8–10 minutes. Test them with a sharp knife, which should easily go through them when they are cooked. Drain them in a colander for at least an hour, then transfer them to a shallow bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and the oils. Taste to check the balance of flavors—the nut oil should be obvious but not overpowering. Mince the herbs and whisk them into the mixture. Whisk in the salt, then pour the dressing over the leeks, gently toss them, and transfer them to a serving dish. Serve the salad with more coarse salt on the side.

4 servings

Susan Herrmann Loomis teaches cooking classes in Normandy and Paris. website. The latest of her ten books, Nuts in the
Kitchen, is published by HarperCollins. Find it in the France Today Bookstore

Originally published in the May 2011 issue of France Today