One of our members writes, “I save my leeks for two weeks to be able to make this wonderful, silky sweet dish. Serve these leeks with feta cheese, bread and olives or with anything grilled.” 2 lbs. firm, extra-long leeks 2 large carrots, thinly sliced 1 sm. onion, finely chopped ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp. sugar Salt 1 Tbsp. white rice, cooked 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ¼ cup finely chopped parsley Freshly ground pepper

Trim root ends from leeks & peel off tough outer layers. Wash leeks & cut the white & light green parts into 2” lengths. Soak leeks in a bowl of warm water for 30 mins. In a medium-sized pan, cook onion & carrots in olive oil, over moderate heat, until onion softens. Lift leeks out of water & stir them in, along with sugar & ¾ tsp. salt. Moisten a sheet of parchment paper or brown paper bag that is slightly lager than the pan. Crumple it & spread it directly on the vegetables. Tightly cover pan & cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 mins. Add 1 or 2 Tbsp. of water if leeks look dry. Gently stir rice into the vegetables. Replace parchment paper & lid & cook over low heat for about 20 mins longer, until leeks are very tender. Remove from heat & let stand for up to one hour. Stir in lemon juice & parsley & season with salt & pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. Serves 4.

From Paula Wolfert, Food and Wine Magazine, Feburary 1999