Sauteed Leeks & Mushrooms with Thyme (Clean)

How I learned to like leeks

A few years ago, I read the book “French Women Don’t Get Fat”. The title intrigued me, so I bought it and dove right into reading it. The book is a light and entertaining read about the French mentality towards food. Of course, the French-born author (who resides in the U.S.) contrasts this with American eating habits This didn’t offend me because the author was right in her cheerful observations on many bad eating habits we have here. It’s an enjoyable book from which I learned new things and became more mindful of my eating. I also picked up a new-found love for leeks which are the feature of today’s flavorful dish.

Why it took me so long to discover leeks I couldn’t tell you. Certainly, I had eaten leeks before. For whatever the reason they weren’t on my radar. That quickly changed. Maybe it was because I never enjoyed them on their own, but as part of something. They seemed like nothing more than a filler or flavor enhancer like many other plants related to onions and garlic. Well, that turned out to be a wrong conclusion as I learned just how delicious and succulent leeks really are.

Leeks play a big role in French cooking, so many of the recipes in this book contained them. A leek soup recipe in the book caught my attention that I made. This simple soup is what started my love of leeks. After this I experimented with leeks as the main feature and soon discovered how good a whole plateful of sauteed leeks was.

What makes this recipe good

Continuing the leeks spree, I paired them with sliced mushrooms and thyme, sauteed in olive oil. This became my new favorite lunch for a while! Leeks are a good source of fiber, so this dish is filling, highly nutritious as well as very flavorful. One thing that I think is important to the success of this recipe is using good quality thyme. I like to grow and dry my own herbs which are infinitely more flavorful than store-bought dried herbs. My thyme harvest was plentiful, so I dried a lot of it this summer and created a blend of several different thymes. This really adds to the dish in a wonderful way that sets it apart. I recommend using good quality or fresh thyme in yours.

On sea salt: in my opinion sea salt is the best for cooking. I use other salts, but the flavor of sea salt always adds the extra wow! factor in any dish, so I’ve become a bit of a salt snob. Nutritionally, it’s just better as well. Sea salt is part of what makes this dish flavorful, so I recommend using it over plain table salt.

Leeks and mushrooms stand on their own merits as both nutritious and flavorful vegetables. They are best when prepared simply rather than masking their delicious flavor in heavy sauces or seasonings. Eat it on its own or serve it as a side dish. This recipe is also clean, so eat up guilt-free! This dish is also colorful and impressive looking, so it’s a wonderful addition to a dinner party or special dinner. And best of all, it’s easy and quick to make. So, if leeks are in season for you then grab some at your local farmers’ market and try this. Your taste buds won’t be disappointed!

Sauteed Leeks and Mushrooms

Makes approximately 4 cups

6 leeks

1 8 oz box of mushrooms of choice

2 tbsp. of olive oil

A couple of generous pinches of fresh or good-quality dried thyme

sea salt

Method

Cut off bottoms and dark green tops of leeks and discard. Slice main body of leeks into thin rings starting at the white bottom and up through the light green parts (dark green is too tough to eat). Rinse leek rings well. I often find dirt in between ring layers, so it is good to rinse them after cutting. Drain leeks and set aside.

Rinse and dry mushrooms and either quarter or slice them. Set aside for the moment. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add leeks. Season with sea salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir leeks until wilted and soft (about 8-10 minutes). If they start scorching turn heat down a bit. Remove leeks from heat. Drain any liquid and discard. Set leeks aside in a serving dish. In same frying pan heat remaining tbsp. of olive oil over high heat. Add mushrooms. Season with sea salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir until mushrooms are cooked (about 2-3 minutes). Drain any liquid. Top leeks with cooked mushrooms. Serve.

Enjoy your sauteed leeks and mushrooms! Have an amazing day! Make sure to subscribe for new blog posts here.

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