How many times have you seen leeks in the grocery store, but hesitated to buy some because you had no idea what to do with them?  Leeks are fantastic because they're so versatile.  They taste a little bit like onions, but with less bite.

I found a great deal on leeks at the grocery store, so bought some to show you my favorite recipe that makes for the perfect side dish. You can include bacon in your recipe, or not.  The choice is completely up to you.

For my recipe (with bacon) you'll need:

1 bunch of leeks cleaned and sliced.  Use only the white and light green parts.

3 slices of bacon, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of broth, any kind you want

Directions:

In a large pan, fry the bacon until it's cooked, but not crispy.

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Once the bacon is cooked, drain most of the grease, leaving about two tablespoons in the pan. Add the sliced leeks to the bacon and mix well.

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Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and mix again.  Cook leeks and bacon together on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while.Once leeks start to become tender, add a cup of broth and stir well.

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Once the broth has been added, raise the burner temperature to medium and bring the contents of the pan to a boil. Once the leeks have begun to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover for 10 to 15 minutes until the leeks are nice and tender.

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After 10 to 15 minutes once the leeks are tender, remove the lid and raise the heat to medium high and let the juices reduce down.  You don't want all the juices to reduce, just about half and keep and eye on the cooking because the last thing you want is the leeks to burn. This is how it should look:

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Plate and serve as a side dish or use it as a topper for steaks, chicken or burgers!

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If you want to make this recipe without bacon, skip the step that involves cooking the bacon and instead melt two tablespoons of butter in the ban and then pick up with step two.

If you like to experiment with new dishes and cooking is a passion or if it's something that you're interested in learning more about, you won't want to miss the chance to be part of the Taste of Home Cooking School, coming to Binghamton on October 29th.  I'll be there and would love for you to join me.  Learn how to get tickets here.

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