Winter Vegetables

My office participates in GrowNYC's Fresh Food Box program, which brings farm-fresh produce to our building once a week. Since August, I've lined up to get my bag of surprise veggies each Thursday.

This winter I've arrived at each Thursday with growing excitement because now that we're moved in, now that there's a kitchen that's only ours, we've cooked so much more. I love being prompted to try new things like romanesco and red cabbage. Also it's nice to never run out of onions, potatoes, or apples. 

Tonight for dinner I'm making broccoli spigarello with poached eggs and braised red cabbage wedges with onions. The leek and potato galette I made last weekend was from Gather Journal, as I'd mentioned. What I didn't know then but have since found is that Gather makes all of their recipes available for free online! I am SO thrilled about this and have picked out a few other winter-friendly recipes to try out next. 

LEEK AND POTATO GALETTE

Mains from Issue 2 - Fall / Winter 2013 - TRACES

The earth leaves its own traces behind on leeks; when the hardy stalks shoot up through the ground, flecks of dirt remain on the root’s wavy strands and nestled between the verdant layers. We bed ours (cleaned, of course) with potato slivers in this free-form galette.

Serves: 4

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PASTRY DOUGH

• 2cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2tsp salt
• 1stick (4 oz) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1⁄2cup cold buttermilk plus 1 Tbsp for brushing

FOR FILLING

• 3medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about ¾ lb)
• 3Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3leeks, white and pale green part only, halved lengthwise
• 1⁄4cup water
• 3⁄4cup crème fraîche (see our recipe) 
  •      (i.e. 1 cup heavy cream + 1 tbsp buttermilk; let sit 8-24 hours at cool room temperature)
• 1tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1⁄2cup Comté or Gruyère, coarsely grated
• 2oz thinly sliced pancetta

• 1
  Pulse flour, salt and butter in a food processor until it forms a coarse meal. Pulse in buttermilk just until dough starts to get clumpy. Form into a flat square on a sheet of plastic and wrap well. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.
• 2
  Slice potatoes almost paper thin and soak in a bowl of well-salted warm water at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
• 3
  Rinse leeks well. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook leeks, cut sides down, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn leeks over and add water, season with salt and pepper then gently simmer, covered, just until leeks are tender, about 15 minutes. Cool.
• 4
  Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain potatoes and squeeze in handfuls, squeezing out water. Toss with remaining Tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper.
• 5
  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 x 16 inches. Dough should be about ⅛-inch thick. Slide onto a cookie sheet. Chill briefly if very soft.
• 6
  Spread dough with crème fraîche leaving a 2-inch border all around. Season with salt and pepper and scatter with half of cheese then potatoes, leeks, pancetta, and remaining cheese. Fold border up and over and brush with remaining Tbsp buttermilk. Bake until tart is golden brown, about 40 minutes.