Chicken with Sautéed Leeks

I am happy to report that our Tuesday evening rendezvous has resumed. It was Foodie’s turn to cook and earlier in the day she gave Architect and me full disclosure that she was ready and willing to host but that she was coming down with some sort of bug. Architect and I sent emails back, almost simultaneously, that we both fully intended to brave any potential microbes to enjoy a meal together…..I think we all missed our Tuesday evening retreat.

Foodie made Chicken Breasts with Sautéed Leeks served on a bed of Spinach accompanied with Asparagus Risotto…YUM! The meal was, of course, delicious, but the company satisfied a hankering that only being with the girls can…are you smelling what I’m cooking? We caught up, laughed, talked about an upcoming concert (remember the Mavericks?), and Foodie helped me to decipher a convoluted (for me) knitted instruction. It was really quite simple after she explained it (I felt kind of dim-witted, actually)…I am a kinesthetic learner – I learn by doing!

To prepare this meal, Foodie chopped and sautéed the leeks in a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. For those of you who don't cook much with leeks, it is a root vegetable in the onion family. The bulb of the leek is edible as well as the light green portion of the stalk, very much like a scallion. Some describe leeks as a cross between an onion and a cucumber and they are delicious sautéed, tossed in a salad or pureed into a soup! When a recipe calls for onions, try half chopped leeks and half onions for a more subtle, but sweet, flavor! You should let leeks sit for a few minutes after slicing and before cooking them. Why you ask...according to decidetobehealthy.com “The most beneficial compounds in an onion or a leek, are separated by the cells' walls. The act of slicing the onion or leek ruptures these walls and releases compounds... which then combine to form a powerful new disease-fighting compound: thiopropanal sulfoxide. You want to give the compound time to fully develop and concentrate before heating.” Who knew! Maybe some of my dear readers with science backgrounds can elaborate?

To plate, Foodie prepared a bed of sautéed spinach, topped it with the chicken that was lightly pan fried, and sprinkled the duo with the sautéed leeks and homemade sourdough breadcrumbs. How pretty is this dish?

I have not mentioned this, but I leave for Italy next week for ten days. I will be sure to return with lots of wonderful recipe ideas and wine choices – and souvenirs!

Image of the leeks from Google images.