Why I Still Use Cookbooks- A Leek Salad from Greece

This is but one of the several hundred books I keep in my cookbook reference library. It is Diane Kochilas's "The Country Cooking of Greece". Had I not been looking through it last week, I would never have thought of making a leek salad.

Leeks are a noble vegetable, and when they pair with potatoes they become close to divine. But I would never had guessed how good they would be blanched,chilled then dressed with olive oil,red wine vinegar, and chopped olives.

Kochilas collected this recipe first from a local cook on the island of Ikaria, but the version in her book is from Macedonia. Here is what I did with it.


Leeks- one per person. Cut them up like this-













Drop the sliced leeks into boiling ,salted water for 40 seconds to a minute, then drain them and chill them in ice water. Drain again, then put them in a bowl, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, and 1/2 cup chopped Greek green olives. Drizzle on some red wine vinegar, toss again, then allow to sit at room temperature for an hour.





Delicious and unique!

*Diane Kochilas's recipe called for the white part of leeks only, but Greek leeks must be whiter than the ones I had. My salad turned out fine, even with greener leeks.