Best Baked Potatoes Leeks And Fontina Recipes

LEEK AND POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an oval baking dish. Drain the leeks and rinse.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and thyme, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the leeks are softened and golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Peel and slice the potatoes into very thin rounds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer half of the potatoes in the buttered dish, then layer half of the cooked leeks over the potatoes. Repeat the layers.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the cream cheese, cream, chicken stock and garlic. Stir together, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with the paprika and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes so the cheese melts. Pour the cream mixture over the leeks and potatoes and top with the grated cheese.
• Cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is bubbly and golden, 15 to 20 minutes more. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

ROASTED POTATO LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.
• In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the puree into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to puree the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasonings.
• When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan and crispy shallots, if using.
• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUFFLé WITH HAM AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In well-salted water, boil the potatoes until tender, then drain, put in a large mixing bowl and mash with the half-and-half. Cool slightly.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened but still bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the cooked leeks to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add the cayenne, nutmeg, ham and Fontina or Gruyère. Mix well, taste and adjust seasoning. (It should be fairly well seasoned, as the egg, when added, will dilute the flavor.) Beat in the 3 egg yolks.
• Butter a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with half the grated Parmesan.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the beaten whites into the potato mixture to lighten and thin it slightly. Quickly fold in the remaining whites, then scrape the soufflé batter into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until nicely browned. Check the center for doneness with a paring knife or skewer. May rest 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED POTATOES, LEEKS, AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub the potatoes, prick them with a fork or insert a metal skewer in them, then while they are still damp, dust them lightly with sea salt. Let sit to dry for a few minutes, then bake until the skin is crisp and the inside soft and fluffy���a matter of thirty-five minutes to an hour, depending on the potato variety.
• Half an hour or so before you expect the potatoes to be ready, start cooking the leeks (it is worth remembering that baked potatoes are good natured, so a few minutes either way won't hurt). Split the leeks in half, wash them thoroughly, then cut them into finger-thick slices. Melt half the butter in a heavy pan, add the leeks, and let them cook slowly over low heat until they are soft and translucent. This will take longer than you might think, as much as fifteen or twenty minutes to soften them completely. An occasional stir will prevent them browning.
• Split the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl, then drop in the remaining butter and most of the cheese, and beat to a creamy mass with a wooden spoon or electric mixer. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Pile back into the skins, dot the last of the cheese over, and return to the oven for a good fifteen minutes, until piping hot.