Mâncare de Praz cu Măsline
(mun-KAH-re de PRAHZ koo muhs-LEE-ne)
Mămăligă Suppers (Polenta, Pork & Skillets)
Drop two pounds of thick leek coins into a hot cast-iron skillet and watch them collapse, coaxing a meat-like richness out of cheap sunflower oil and the tough winter stalks that hang from every Oltenian porch. The stew takes the intense, caramelized sweetness of leeks and crashes it into the briny punch of oil-cured black olives, brightened by tomatoes and wine, before reducing into a savory, meltingly tender jam that asks only for a single skillet, a weeknight, and a massive chunk of crusty peasant bread. Spoon the dark mess over a steaming mound of mămăligă and eat.
Before you start
Rigorously purge the leeks.
Leeks are notorious for hiding soil. Place the sliced rounds in a large bowl of cold water, agitate them with your hands to separate the rings, and let the sand fall away. Rinse thoroughly under running water and pat dry.
Ingredients
- sunflower oil3 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- leek3 large
- garlic3 clove
- dry white wine1/4 cup
- tomato passata1 cup
- water or low-sodium vegetable broth1/2 cup
- bay leaf1 small
- Kalamata or oil-cured black olives1 cup
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- fresh lemon juice1 tbsp
- fresh dill1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Build the flavor base by sweating the onions.
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a generous pinch of kosher salt to rapidly draw out moisture and sweeten the allium. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until translucent and just turning golden, then stir in the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
- 02
Caramelize the leeks to develop their deep sweetness.
Add the dried leek rounds to the skillet and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want them to soften and take on a golden hue, transforming their sharp bite into a mellow foundation.
- 03
Deglaze the skillet and simmer the stew.
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, and let it evaporate for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato passata, water, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer lazily on medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes until the leeks are meltingly tender.
- 04
Marry the olives into the sauce.
Remove the lid, stir in the olives and the sugar, and let the stew simmer uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the sauce to reduce slightly while the olives warm through and release their briny oils without turning to mush.
- 05
Finish with bright acid and fresh herbs.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped dill. Taste the stew carefully—only now should you adjust the salt, as the olives will have heavily seasoned the broth.
Notes
Sourcing the right olives is non-negotiable.
Do not use canned California black olives, as they lack the necessary salt and fat; you need robust, brine-cured Kalamatas or oil-cured black olives (the wrinkled kind Romanians call măsline zbârcite) to properly anchor the dish.
Serve with mămăligă or crusty peasant bread.
This stew can be eaten hot, at room temperature, or cold the next day, provided there is a carb heavy enough to mop up the olive-infused tomato oil.
From Cook Romanian in America.