Creamy Leek Gratin

A few weeks ago I tried a new recipe, Creamy Leek Gratin.  This was my first time cooking with leeks and it came out delicious! If you haven't tried leeks before, their flavor tastes like a mixture of onion and garlic. This is a must try!

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk (I used skim)

 salt and pepper

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

3 slices sandwich bread, torn into small pieces

3 tbsp olive oil

6 leeks (about 3 lbs)- white and light green parts only. Halved lengthwise and rood ends left intact.

Method:

1.  Heat oven to 375F.  melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Sprinkle with flour and cook, whisking, for 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the milk, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and bring to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar until melted.

2. In a small bowl, combine the bread pieces, oil, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

3.  Place the leeks in a single layer in the bottom of a baking dish.  Cover with the milk mixture and sprinkle with the breath mixture.  Cover the dish with foil and bake until the leeks are tender and the filling in bubbling, 25-30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown, 8-10 minutes more.

Enjoy!