Parsnip and Leek Soup with Cumin and Mustard Seeds

This parsnip and leek soup gets its wonderful flavor from cumin and mustard seeds that you toast in hot oil with garlic. You stir it into this soup just before serving. 

I really loved the flavor the fried garlic, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds added at the end. If you make this soup, don't skip this step. The technique for adding the spices is an Indian term called "tarka." The oil draws out the flavor but leaves the whole spices intact to add texture to the dish. 

Mussels with Leeks and Chilies

Leeks, chilies, tomatoes, wine, and garlic help create a delicious bowl of steaming hot delicious mussels. 

Be sure you have a lot of crusty bread at the table to sop up all of the delicious juices. 

Instant Pot Leek and Potato Soup

This leek and potato soup is so simple and rustic, yet it is so flavorful and comforting.

With chunky vegetables and a garlicky broth, this soup is the perfect starter for dinner. You could also serve it for lunch with salad and crusty bread. It's both light and hearty at the same time.

Provençal Vegetable Soup with Pistou (Soupe au Pistou)

This Provençal Vegetable Soup is so hearty.

Provençal vegetable soup is from Provence, in the south of France. It's typically made with white beans, green beans, onions, leeks, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, and pasta. Cooks also add other fresh vegetables such as yellow squash, tomatoes, peas, and corn from the weekly markets throughout the region.

Potato and Leek Pizza

This potato and leek pizza reminds me of the crusty top of a scalloped potato casserole placed on a thin crispy pizza crust.

This potato and leek pizza starts with an easy no knead crust. I mixed the dough around eight o'clock at night, and made the pizzas around noon the next day. It's a totally flexible dough. Once your dough has risen, you can shape it into rounds, wrap it, and refrigerate it for up to three days.

Six Onion Pizza

This Six Onion Pizza recipe is both sweet and savory at the same time. It's the perfect pizza for your spring onion bounty.

"Six Onion Pizza?" you ask! Yes, six onions: white onions, leeks, shallots, red onions, scallions, and chives, all on a super thin crust and topped with Pecorino cheese.

Irish Leek and Potato Soup

This Irish Leek and Potato Soup is so hearty and satisfying. 

Leek and Potato Soup is a traditional comfort food in Ireland, often served in pubs and homes to fend off the cold winter chill. It can be made with either chicken or vegetable stock, and only takes about 30 minutes to make, including prep time.

Braised Carrots with Leeks

These braised carrots with leeks will surprise you with their savory-ness. At least they surprised me. Their flavor is fresh and reminiscent of vegetables from a Provencal marche.

This is an easy dish that can be made right before serving, or made in advance and served at room temperature the next day.

You can use spring carrots, or if you cannot find them, you can cut regular carrots cut into thinner pieces by quartering the fat ends and cutting the thin ends in half lengthwise.

To clean the leeks, cut off the root ends and the dark green parts, slice the pieces length wise, place them into a bowl of cold water, and swish them around. Drain the leeks and and place them back into cold water. Once the water in the bowl is clean, the leeks are ready.

We had this with a goat cheese, onion, mushroom, and red pepper tart with a filet mignon. It was definitely a luxurious dinner with an amazing combination of flavors.

For another great dish with leeks, check out this Asparagus, Pea, and Leek Stir Fry. For another great carrot dish, check out these Sauteed Carrots.

Braised Carrots with Leeks Recipe

Adapted from Mark Peel's New Classic Family Dinners.

This recipe serves four.

Ingredients

3 T olive oil

1/2 pound of leeks, white and light green part only, cleaned, with the root trimmed off, and cut into thin lengthwise strips

3/4 tsp Kosher salt

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound peeled carrots, either small spring, or cut as described above. They should be about 4 to 6 inches in length. 

1/2 C water

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 T fresh chopped chervil, or 1 tsp dried chervil

2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon

Instructions

1. Heat 2 T of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add the leeks and a bit of the salt and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. 
4. Add the carrots, water, and the rest of the salt, and bring to a simmer. 
5. Simmer over low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the carrots are fork tender. 
6. Transfer the carrots to a platter and bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil.
7. Add the rest of the oil, the lemon juice, the chervil, and the tarragon to the pan and cook for about a minute. 
8. Spoon the contents of the pan over the carrots.
9. Serve immediately, or tent with foil and serve later at room temperature. 
10. You can also refrigerate overnight and serve the next day. 

Asparagus, Pea, & Leek Stir-Fry

This asparagus, Pea, & Leek Stir Fry is fresh and crisp, and the recipe is wonderful to make during asparagus season. 

This asparagus, pea, and leek stir-fry has two kinds of peas... sugar snap peas and petite peas... and it's so green!!