Good morning, my darlings!
Pretty much anything crispy is good… Am I right? Crispy bacon. Crispy fried anything. Apple Crisp. Crisp(y) mornings. Crispy Crunch bars…Actually, I don’t like those at all.
Another thing that might not be so great? Crispy Kristy.
Saturday morning I walked downtown and found myself at sugar beach. Unfortunately, I also found myself without a coffee shop. Luckily for me, a server from a nearby pub was setting up the patio and when I inquired about a cafe that might be open in the area on an early Saturday morning, she offered me a cup of coffee from their establishment. It was so kind of her and she definitely didn’t have to do that – they weren’t even opening for another 45 minutes. When I tried to pay and tip her she declined and told me to go enjoy it on the beach.
It was a good morning. Warm sunshine. Quiet streets. Friendly and generous strangers. Nothing much better than that. Everything in the world was good. At least, everything in my world was good. And since moving to Toronto, that’s been a rarity for me. So I rolled in it like a dog rolls in dead squirrel. I cozied myself into a chair, laid back and drank my free coffee in the morning sunshine for 2 hours. Nothing but me, my book and the sound of waves lapping against the shore… Oh yeah, and the constant whirring of the sugar refinery right next to me – hence the name, Sugar Beach.
Unfortunately, in my A.M. rush to get out the door and downtown before the rest of the city had woken up, I accidentally lathered up in SPF 45 sunscreen, failing to remember that since becoming a Torontonian, I now require an SPF of 100. By the end of the 2 hours, I noticed my skin starting to curl up on itself. Shit.
I mad dashed for the shade and hid indoors for the rest of the day.
But the damage was already done. Crispy Kristy.
Ouch. Note to self: SPF 100. Always.
Crispy Baked Leeks
Cook
Total
Ingredients
- 2 Leeks, tops removed, and bottoms (light green & white bits) washed and well dried.
- 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika.
- Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- As that heats, thinly slice the leeks - a mandoline is very helpful here to ensure even sizing.
- Gently toss the prepared leeks in a small dash of olive oil. Coat with the dry mixture and arrange in a single layer on a shallow baking sheet. Spread them out the best you can. Place in the hot oven and bake for 45-60 minutes* or until leeks are crispy and golden, stirring occasionally.
- Eat.
Notes
The timing can be tricky. You'll have to watch them and adjust accordingly. Mine burned a touch but I didn't mind too much - they were fantastic on morning eggs!
alittleofwhatyouwant
August 12, 2013 at 1:50 PMLeeks look amazing and I sympathise re the sunburn. Simple tip I use for that is a bath of Bicarbonate of Soda? Sounds Random but is a family tradition and normally helps.
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:19 PMhuh. how do you get so much soda???
Sam
August 12, 2013 at 3:40 PM1) I’m doing this with the leeks in my fridge that I don’t know what to do with. I love the idea of crispy leeks with eggs. Maybe on an egg sandwich with some tomato slices?
2) Do Lake Ontario beaches on the Canadian side look so much nicer than Lake Ontario beaches on the US side. Last time I was up visiting the fam those beaches were a bit scary.
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:20 PM1. I’m so excited that you made them!!
2. They look nice. But they’re diiiiiiiiiirty. Like, poo dirty. Don’t go in them.
saltedplates
August 12, 2013 at 4:25 PMwhat a good idea! I will need to get leeks again in my CSA and give this a try. I’ve been to a few places in the suburbs that serve “trio fries” which are potatoes, onions and leeks.
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:20 PMOooooooh I want some of those dude! You should make them and put them on your blog!
saltedplates
August 25, 2013 at 12:18 PMMade these last night to top some mashed potatoes and wax beans. Super tasty! Loved the addition of paprika, even though I use that spice all the time I don’t know that I would have thought to add it to these. I ended up doing them in the oven at very top rack while a “young” chicken roasted at bottom at 425 degrees. Cut the time down slightly and only had a few on the edges blacken. Thanks for the great addition to our Saturday night meal.
Kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts
August 12, 2013 at 6:34 PMKristy,
Yum! These look awesome. I was just reorganizing the freezers this morning and came across a bag of leeks from last year–had I known about this I wouldn’t have had any to put up!
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:21 PMTrue that sister! Next time 🙂
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
August 12, 2013 at 11:08 PMI’d eat these crispy leeks on top of anything.
Your burn looks bad, my dear. It just does.
I lather up in anything 50 and over and I burn as well. Repeatedly. Us fair skinned girls have it rough, but just think when we are seventy-five, our skin will look like porcelain, whereas everyone else will look like leather. We will have the last laugh then. Ha, ha!
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:21 PMI say the same thing!!! I’m never gonna get wrinkles because I can’t expose myself to the sun. Like, ever. We’re gonna look gooooooood!
Beyond The Peel
August 12, 2013 at 11:20 PMOh dear! That’s not good! Poor thing. Aloe vera…that’s the only cure I know and vitamin E oil to help with scaring. The leeks look great though if that’s any consolation and you’re on a wonderful vacation….hope that helps!
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:21 PMThat’s what I’ve been doing France… My legs still hurt to touch but they haven’t peeled!
Megan from KIAG Advice Blog
August 13, 2013 at 11:10 PMYou do look pretty crispy (and as a pale female of Irish descent, I know how it feels) but hey, at least your dress is cute!
Kristy Gardner
August 16, 2013 at 8:22 PMouch. good point 😉
Gastronomical Sovereignty to She Eats: Best Food Blog Posts 2013She Eats
January 10, 2014 at 12:11 PM[…] Favorite: Crispy Baked Leeks = Good (Crispy Kristy = Not). I got one mother of a sunburn this Summer – worst of my life. Luckily, sunburned leeks […]
50 Vegetable Side Dishes | Chef in Training
March 19, 2014 at 7:01 AM[…] Crispy Baked Leeks from She Eats […]