Easy roasted leeks

We have had a lot of fresh leeks on hand that needed to be cooked and I couldn't decide what to do with them! I used some in various recipes this week but wanted to enjoy the sweet and enjoyable flavor of the leeks on their own by roasting them. After making some in thin round slices for several meals, I decided to try slicing them longways to keep them moist and tender as opposed to dried out and crispy. With nothing but a little oil, this recipe is the perfect side dish to compliment any meal that you're already baking in the oven anyway to conserve energy :)



Ingredients:

Leeks
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven anywhere from 350-400 degrees. Temperature depends on if you have other recipes cooking at the same time. (I've experimented with roasting these at varying temperatures this week and it doesn't seem to affect flavor, your cook times will just vary a bit.) If roasting leeks alone and you have nothing else cooking, go for 400 degrees for them to cook faster.

Chop off the roots on the bottom of your leek and the tough green stalks at the top. I also peel off any outer layers that are too tough or hard to eat. If you're not too familiar with leeks, think of it like an onion - if the outer layer of skin seems too dried out then just pull it off. (Unwanted leek parts make great compost!)

Slice each leek in half once LONG ways. They should be in long thin slices as opposed to round slices. Leave the layers grouped together.

Add a little oil (about 1-2 tbsp) onto a baking sheet and place leeks, with all layers in tact, face down on the sheet (sliced side down). Use the leeks to spread the oil around the sheet in an even coat. I roast as many leek halves as I can fit on one sheet at a time and place them pretty close together, but not overlapping each other.

Cover your layer of leeks with foil so that they stay moist and tender as opposed to dried out and crispy. If you prefer them drier you can roast without a cover. I use silicone baking mats so I put one under my leeks and one on top to keep moisture in while cooking.

Bake for 30-50 minutes depending on temperature (lower temp should take longer) until leeks appear browned on top. Remove and allow them to cool before serving. They should be soft, sweet and flavorful without any seasoning! Serve each leek half together.. but I bet you can't eat just one, they're so good! Add seasonings of your choice to taste. I enjoyed mine with just a small sprinkle of salt.