flour, cook for 4 or 5 minutes without browning, add the milk, and stir until boiling. Season to taste, add a little nutmeg, put in the quarters of root, and let them remain until thoroughly hot. Serve with the sauce poured over, garnished with the leaves prepared as directed above.
1521.—LEEKS, BOILED. (Fr.—Poireaux au Naturel.)
Ingredients.—12 young leeks, salt, vinegar, ¾ of a pint of white sauce (see Sauces, No. 223), toast.
Method.—Trim oft the roots, the outer leaves, and the green ends, and cut the stalks into 6 inch lengths. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, add a tablespoonful of vinegar and a dessertspoonful of salt, put in the leeks, previously tied in bundles, and boil gently for about 40 minutes, or until they are perfectly tender. Drain well, serve on toast, and pour the white sauce over them.
Time.—About 40 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. to 1s. 3d. Obtainable all the year; cheapest in September, October and November.
The Leek (Fr. poireau).—This plant, the Albium porrum, is highly valued for culinary purposes. It is ordinarily sown in Spring, and is ready for use the following Winter. Its flavour is much milder than that of the onion, or any other species of the allium. Leeks, like the onion, are more frequently employed for flavouring purposes than served as a vegetable: but if boiled in 3 or 4 waters, and afterwards stewed in milk, quartered, and served on toast like asparagus, they are nearly, if not quite, as delicate.
1522.—LEEKS WITH POACHED EGGS. (Fr.—Poireaux aux Oeufs Pochés.)
Ingredients.—6 or 8 leeks, 1 onion, 1 carrot, ½ a turnip, 1 bouquet-garni, 1 bay-leaf, 1 blade of mace, 2 ozs. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, ½ a pint of white stock, ½ a pint of milk, 6 poached eggs, toast, salt and pepper.
Method.—Cut the onion, carrot and turnip into thin slices, prepare the leeks as in the preceding recipe, put them into cold water, bring to the boil, and strain. Heat 1 oz. of butter in a stewpan, put in the leeks, onion, carrot, turnip, herbs, bay-leaf and mace, and fry slowly for 15 minutes, then add the stock, cover closely, and cook gently for about 1¼ hours. When the cooking is nearly completed, melt the remainder of the butter in another stewpan, add the flour, fry for a few minutes, then put in the milk, and stir until boiling. Take up the leeks, cut them lengthwise into quarters, across into 2 or 3 pieces, keep them hot, and strain what little stock remains into the sauce. Arrange the toast as a long narrow strip down the centre of the dish, pile the pieces of leek high upon it, pour over the sauce, and place the poached eggs round the base.
Time.—From 1½ to 1¾ hours. Average Cost, 2s. to 2s. 6d. Obtainable at any time; cheapest in September, October and November.
