Tag: leeks

As the spring sets in and the weather gets warmer, more and more fresh vegetables are becoming available. Leeks, for example, are very popular in Romania, being grown especially in Oltenia, a region stretching between the river Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the river Olt. In fact, leeks are strongly associated with this particular region even in popular culture.

One of the most common leek dishes in Romania is leek soup. For this you need 2 or 3 leeks, a small head of celeriac, a parsley root, 2 or 3 fresh tomatoes or a can of cubed tomatoes, 200 grams of noodles, some fresh parsley and some of the brine used for pickling cabbage. Pickled cabbage is very common in Romania, but if you cant get hold of it where you live, you can use fermented bran juice or simply lemon juice instead. Chop the vegetables and set them to boil in a large pot. When the vegetables are cooked, add the noodles and let it all simmer for 15 minutes. Add the brine or lemon juice, simmer for a further 10 minutes and at the end add some salt to taste and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Another popular vegetarian leek recipe in Romania is a dish made using olives and tomato juice. Leeks simmered in water and salt can also be used as a base for other dishes made using chicken or fish. Leeks filled with cheese, rice and mushrooms or meat are also very interesting recipes.

To make leeks filled with cheese, you need two big leeks, 250 grams of fresh cows cheese, 100 grams of pitted olives, two eggs, some grated hard cheese, a knob of butter, some fresh parsley and salt to taste. Rinse and cut the leeks into 10 cm long pieces from which you then remove the middle part. Mix with fresh cheese with half the parsley, finely chopped, and then stuff the leeks. Place the leeks inside a buttered oven dish. Sprinkle with the olives and pour the two beaten eggs and roast for half an hour or until the leeks become golden in colour. Before serving, sprinkle the grated cheese and the rest of the chopped parsley. Poftă bună!

As the spring sets in and the weather gets warmer, more and more fresh vegetables are becoming available. Leeks, for example, are very popular in Romania, being grown especially in Oltenia, a region stretching between the river Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the river Olt. In fact, leeks are strongly associated with this particular region even in popular culture.

One of the most common leek dishes in Romania is leek soup. For this you need 2 or 3 leeks, a small head of celeriac, a parsley root, 2 or 3 fresh tomatoes or a can of cubed tomatoes, 200 grams of noodles, some fresh parsley and some of the brine used for pickling cabbage. Pickled cabbage is very common in Romania, but if you cant get hold of it where you live, you can use fermented bran juice or simply lemon juice instead. Chop the vegetables and set them to boil in a large pot. When the vegetables are cooked, add the noodles and let it all simmer for 15 minutes. Add the brine or lemon juice, simmer for a further 10 minutes and at the end add some salt to taste and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Another popular vegetarian leek recipe in Romania is a dish made using olives and tomato juice. Leeks simmered in water and salt can also be used as a base for other dishes made using chicken or fish. Leeks filled with cheese, rice and mushrooms or meat are also very interesting recipes.

To make leeks filled with cheese, you need two big leeks, 250 grams of fresh cows cheese, 100 grams of pitted olives, two eggs, some grated hard cheese, a knob of butter, some fresh parsley and salt to taste. Rinse and cut the leeks into 10 cm long pieces from which you then remove the middle part. Mix with fresh cheese with half the parsley, finely chopped, and then stuff the leeks. Place the leeks inside a buttered oven dish. Sprinkle with the olives and pour the two beaten eggs and roast for half an hour or until the leeks become golden in colour. Before serving, sprinkle the grated cheese and the rest of the chopped parsley. Poftă bună!

Leeks are among the most under-appreciated vegetables around, but leek figures prominently in spring cooking in Romania, and the Balkans in general. One of the signature dishes in this area is leek and olives, very popular because it is tasty and is also a dish suitable to the rigors of Lent.

Take four or five leeks, slice it into small pieces, then sweat it in a bit of oil. Add in water, which you bring to a boil, adding salt to taste. Soak some olives in water to reduce their saltiness, then put them into the saucepan with some tomato paste. It doesnt take more than half an hour to make, and can be served both hot and cold.

One other excellent Lent dish is leek stuffed with rice or mushrooms. Cut the leek into larger portions, and blanch them. Scoop out the core, to have the outer leaves as a container. Chop finely the cores, then sweat them in oil together with mushrooms, also finely chopped. Fill the pieces of leek with the mixture, then lay them in an oven tray with water and tomato juice. Boil for about 10 minutes, then set the tray in the oven.

Boiled leek can also be used as a base for other dishes where chicken or fish is used. For the oven-baked fish with leek, for instance, you need 4 or 5 leek stalks. Peel the leek, then cut it in thin slices. Set it to boil in a little bit of water and salt, together with a bell pepper, finely shopped. In the pot where all the vegetables boiled, add a tablespoon of tomato paste, a little bit of oil, basil and finely-shredded dill, pepper and salt to taste. Arrange the mix in an oven dish, then on top of it place the fish fillet. Oven-bake for about 20 to 30 minutes until the fish browns.