Improv Night: Creamy Leeks

I constantly struggle with what to fix for dinner when I get home from work.  I wish I was a cold-cereal kind of gal, but I’m just not.  Cooking is therapeutic for me.  Stirring, slicing, mixing.  It calms my nerves.  But after an hour-long drive, I want something that will come together relatively fast.  And because I’m only one person, with no one else to cook for, it can be however simple or unusual as I want.  That’s a bonus.

Red potatoes, doused with olive oil and salt and pepper are a good base.  About 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven will get the skins nice and crispy and keep the inside nice and creamy.  You can serve them with beef, chicken, fish, or even just a simple vegetable.

Tonight I had a leek I needed to use up – and oh I love leeks.  They are like candy when they are caramelized.  But when you cook them for just a few minutes, until they are tender, they are silky and flavorful with a bit of crunch left in them.  Seasoned just right, they can stand on their own.  I suppose if I was cooking for someone else, leeks and potatoes would not be a sufficient dinner.  But for me, it’s just right.

Creamy Leeks

1 leek, cleaned and sliced

1 T. olive oil

Salt

Pepper

2 T. fresh lemon juice

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/2 heavy cream

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the leeks.  Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until they are tender.  Add the lemon juice and the leaves off the thyme sprigs.  Let cook for about 3 minutes to concentrate the flavors.  Add cream.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.  The sauce will thicken up and cling to the leeks.  Serve warm.

Serves 1 with leftovers.