Zeytinyağlı Pırasa
Zeytinyağlı Pırasa·(zay-tin-yah-luh puh-rah-sah)
Sulu Yemek & Tencere
Tuesday evening on the back burner, a quarter-cup of olive oil warms. The leeks collapse. The pot does the work. Americans tend to treat the leek as a supporting actor. In the Aegean, they know better. This is the Turkish tradition of zeytinyağlılar—vegetables braised low and slow in copious amounts of olive oil, simmered alongside a handful of white rice. Spiked with fresh orange juice and sealed under a parchment lid to protect its vibrant color, the oversized supermarket leek transforms into something impossibly silky. Give it a squeeze of lemon and let it cool in its own pot overnight, until it tastes of mellowed citrus, sweet onion, and cold olive oil.
Before you start
Fashion a parchment paper lid (yağlı kağıt).
Cut a piece of parchment paper into a circle roughly the size of your cooking pot. Snip a small, nickel-sized hole in the absolute center to allow just enough steam to escape while trapping moisture and preserving the leeks' bright color.
Ingredients
- leeks4 large
- carrots2 med
- yellow onion1 med
- extra virgin olive oil1/3 cup
- Arborio rice2 tbsp
- fresh orange juice1 cup
- lemon1/2 med
- hot water1/2 cup
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Cut the vegetables on a bias.
Because American leeks are notoriously thick, slicing them in half lengthwise first is mandatory. Cut them on a diagonal into 1 1/2-inch pieces, then cut the carrots on a diagonal slightly thinner, about 1/4-inch thick, so everything cooks at the same rate.
- 02
Build the aromatic base without browning.
In a wide, shallow pot or braiser, heat half of the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent and sweet, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes more, then toss in the leeks just until they glisten with oil.
- 03
Create the emulsion and step away.
Sprinkle the rinsed rice evenly over the vegetables. Whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and the remaining half of the olive oil, then pour it over the pot. Add a splash of hot water if the liquid doesn't reach the top of the vegetables; from this point forward, do not stir the pot, or the leeks will unravel.
- 04
Seal the pot with the parchment cartouche.
Press your prepared parchment paper circle directly onto the surface of the liquid and vegetables, then place the heavy pot lid snugly on top. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then immediately drop to the lowest possible setting.
- 05
Braise slowly, then enforce the mandatory resting phase.
Cook undisturbed for 25 to 30 minutes until the leeks are meltingly tender and the rice has puffed. Turn off the heat and leave the lid and parchment intact until the pot reaches room temperature. This resting phase is non-negotiable for the olive oil to properly glaze the vegetables and lock in their structure.
Notes
Patience is the ultimate ingredient.
True zeytinyağlı dishes are never served hot. For the absolute deepest, most authentic flavor, transfer the cooled leeks to a glass container, refrigerate overnight, and serve chilled or at room temperature the next day.
From Cook Turkish in America.