Caramelized Leeks

 As an eater, one of my pet peeves is to see food used in a way that fails to utilize its full flavor potential.  One of the ways in which I see this happen most often is the under-cooking of onions and leeks: too pale, too raw, too crunchy, too sad.  A lot of people I know think they either don't like cooking or aren't good at it, but most of the time I think the real problem is that they lack the right information, and maybe proper confidence and time.

 I'm not going to lie: properly caramelized leeks take time.  An astonishing amount, actually.  Like forty minutes.  For one leek.  It is, however, one of those time-consuming things that is really worth the effort and can change the way you feel about your while life, at least during breakfast. 

The first thing to do with a leek is clean it, as they are grown in very sandy soil that can get into their crevices.  Slice the leek in half from top to bottom, then gently rinse each half under cold running water.  Usually the outer layers will be the dirtiest, so pay careful attention to those.  Do your best to dry them, because water is the enemy of caramelization.  Slice them into uniform crescents, and put them in a pan drizzled with olive oil and a little butter over low heat.  Don't touch them for ten whole minutes.  TEN WHOLE MINUTES.  If you have a husband who suffers from the compulsion to stir any cooking thing he walks by without regard to the delicate and vital process that is happening, keep him out of the kitchen. 

 After ten minutes, the leeks should look like this: beginning to soften and picking up some nice(but not too much) color.  If the leeks are looking dry or like they're becoming crispy, add a little more oil or butter.  You don't want them too dry or they'll fry crisp, but neither do you want them swimming in fat because that will just steam them.  While we're on the subject of steam, don't crowd the pan.  You will never be able to caramelize anything properly if the pan is too full.

Continue the process of stirring only once every ten minutes, adding more oil/butter when necessary, until the leeks are golden and soft, about forty minutes.

A pan full of pleasure.

 See now, wasn't that worth the wait? 

And if you've got some ham, zucchini, oven-roasted grape tomatoes and a fried egg, go right ahead and introduce them to your beautifully caramelized leeks.  Other good places for them would be an omelet or frittata, a potato gratin(or anything made of potatoes), in soup, spooned over roasted chicken, or anyplace you need something earthy, sweet and satisfying.