Leeks with Anchovy and Soft-Boiled Eggs

Joshua McFadden‘s book Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables is full of great seasoning and cooking insights and delicious recipes that highlight vegetables in the time of the year when they shine brightest. I highly recommend it, with the small warning that you may find yourself compulsively planting a garden once you’re done.

This recipe is so simple and combines great elements of flavor and texture. Works great as a delicious lunch or a light dinner. It’s also completely scalable — just add more leeks, eggs and toast.

INGREDIENTS

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black Petter
• 3 large leeks, trimmed, halved length-wise, cleaned well, and cut crosswise into 4-inch lengths
• 6 anchovy filets
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• Soft-boiled eggs
• Sliced bread, lightly toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 425°F
2. Drizzle rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange leeks cut-side-down on top of oil, scooting around to cover with oil and seasoning. Drizzle more oil on top and season with more salt and pepper.
3. Roast leeks until the undersides are browning and leeks are getting soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Move them around on baking sheet to prevent burning, keeping a nice cluster toward the center of the baking sheet. Roast until leeks are very soft and slightly melted with some browned crunch pieces on the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.
4. While leeks are roasting, soft-boil eggs. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil and gently lower cold eggs in and boil for 7 minutes (the longer you boil them, the harder the yolks will be). Remove eggs to cold water and let cool. Carefully remove shells.
5. Mash the anchovies with 3 Tbsps lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir in 2-3 Tbsps olive oil. Pile the leeks into a bowl, drizzle dressing on top and toss gently. Adjust lemon, salt and pepper as needed.
6. Lightly toast thick slices of good bread. Arrange leeks on bread and gently break eggs over the leeks. Season with freshed cracked pepper or Aleppo pepper.

Adapted from Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables by Joshua McFadden