Grilled Leeks With Romesco Sauce Recipe

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated August 29, 2018
20141006-grilled-leeks-with-romesco-finished-joshua-bousel.jpg
Romesco sauce and grilled leeks are a natural pair. . Joshua Bousel

Cooking leeks on the grill can take a very long time, but by par-boiling them first, we were able to cut the grilling time to less than 10 minutes. Once softened and lightly charred, they make a beautiful pairing with Spanish romesco sauce, made from almonds and roasted tomatoes and peppers.

Why this recipe works:

  • Softening the leeks in boiling water prior to grilling cuts down cooking time.
  • Searing the leeks over direct fire gives them a light char with a distinct grilled flavor.
  • The slightly sweet and creamy Romesco sauce is a great complement to the sweet and oniony leeks.

Recipe Details

Grilled Leeks With Romesco Sauce Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt

  • 4 large leeks, dark green tops discarded, leeks split in half, and thoroughly washed

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 recipe Romesco Sauce

Directions

  1. Prepare a large bowl of iced water and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil leeks until they start to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer leeks to ice water and let stand until cool. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and pat dry.

  2. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over the charcoal grate. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Brush leeks lightly with oil and grill over direct heat until they start to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip over and continue to grill until second side browns, about 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer leeks to a platter, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with Romesco sauce.

Special Equipment

Food processor, grill

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
378Calories
31gFat
27gCarbs
5gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories378
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g39%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 289mg13%
Total Carbohydrate 27g10%
Dietary Fiber 5g17%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 48mg238%
Calcium 119mg9%
Iron 4mg23%
Potassium 418mg9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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