At first I thought this dish was about the combination of leeks and potatoes. Then, while looking at the components for the dish, I realized that while the potato and parsley gnocchi are the focus, it is the soft and silky leek puree which steals the show. The shavings of Brouere cheese accent the gnocchi and add an earthy richness to the composition. Still, the smooth, decadent allium puree provides backbone and stability to help highlight the combination of these few ingredients. It dawned on me that I have never really made a leek puree. Onions, sure; leek and potato are a given. Straight-up leeks, never once—until today. This puree is just blanched leeks, salt, pepper, and some tapioca starch to prevent syneresis. It is quite delicious. The smooth texture and full flavor make me wonder why such a simple thing has been overlooked for so long. The puree of leeks lends itself to a number of ideas, from a last-minute addition to a sauce to add body, to the starring role in a tapioca pudding we are working on. There’s a reason why the French prize these long green beauties. Their sweet, earthy flavor has the ability to complement and make almost any other ingredient taste exponentially more delicious.
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