Simple Recipes – Leeks With Olive Oil

4 toddler servings, 2 adult servings

Ingredients

1. 3 medium-sized fresh leek stems
2. 5 – 6 baby carrots, cut in bite size pieces
3. 1/2 cup Basmati rice
4. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5. 2 cups warm water
6. 1 tsp sugar (optional)
7. 1 tbsp tomato paste
8. Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Thoroughly wash leek stems to remove any soil residue around the leaf sheaths. Finely chop most of the white onion base and the green leaf sheaths into round slices 5 – 10 mm thick. Make sure the leeks are fresh so that the onion base is tender and edible. Add olive oil to a shallow saucepan on medium heat. Add the chopped leek slices and tomato paste and saute lightly for around 5 minutes. Add rice and carrots and mix gently since leek slices have a tendency to split apart due to the layered structure. Add warm water, sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for about 30 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is cooked.

About Leeks

The vegetable leek belongs to the same family as onion and garlic. They resemble a large scallion having a very small white onion-like bulb and a long white cylindrical stem of  made up of layers that flows into green, tightly wrapped, flat leaves. They can be boiled, fried or eaten raw in a salad. They are rich in manganese, vitamin C, iron, folate and vitamin B₆ . A high intake of Allium vegetables like leeks has been shown to reduce total cholesterol and LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels, while at the same time raising HDL, or “good” cholesterol levels (source: WHFoods).

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Tagged as: Basmati Rice, Leeks, minerals, Olive oil, Recipes, Vitamins