Leeks are one of the seven symbolic foods blessed and served at a Sephardic Rosh Hashana seder.
Jewish Food Experience Director Susan Barocas’ father, whose parents were from the Ottoman Empire, grew up eating this dish. Although he cooked quite a bit, inexplicably he had never made it for her or her siblings until it was introduced to them in the early 1960s by a cousin from Cuba. There was never a written recipe, so this is Barocas’ best attempt to re-create it. Serve as part of an appetizer assortment, mezze style, or as a side dish over rice, quinoa or pasta.
The recipe doubles easily.
SEPHARDIC LEEKS WITH TOMATO
Makes 2 1/2 cups (10 servings)
MAKE AHEAD: The dish can be refrigerated for a week to 10 days in advance, and it can be frozen. It tastes even better after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
4 large leeks, trimmed
4 to 6 overripe tomatoes (may substitute 28 ounces canned, no-salt-added whole tomatoes plus their juices, kept separate)
Water (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed (see VARIATION)
Juice of 1 small lemon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Seat a colander or large strainer inside a large bowl.
Cut the white and light-green parts of the leeks into 1-inch pieces, transferring them to the colander as you work. Rinse under cool running water, separating the pieces to dislodge as much grit as possible. Once the bowl is full, drain and refill. Soak the leeks for 5 to 10 minutes, giving them a swish with your hand once or twice. Drain and rinse a final time, then drain.
Seed, then coarsely chop the tomatoes, separately reserving 1 to 1 1/2 cups of their juices. If the tomatoes do not yield the amount of juice needed for this recipe, add water.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Carefully add the tomatoes, without their juices, mashing them slightly. Stir, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic (to taste) and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then add the leeks and the reserved tomato juices. Stir to incorporate, then cover and cook for about 1 hour, until the leeks are soft and flavors have blended.
Add the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste. For a more concentrated flavor and drier consistency, cook uncovered; otherwise, cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve right away, or cool completely before storing.
VARIATION: To make this a sweet-sour dish, omit the garlic and add 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar along with the lemon juice, making sure the sugar dissolves and blends completely.
NUTRITION Per serving: 45 calories, 1 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar
(Recipe from Susan Barocas, director of the Jewish Food Experience)
