grilled leeks with garden tomatoes and fresh basil

Well, folks, Grier Groceries is officially open fo’ biz-naz.

Oh yes.

You guys have no idea how flipping excited I am that we have PLANTS growing. We have tow-maters, banana peppers, and more herbs than a medical marijuana facility. Now, I would love to take credit for our bountiful garden, but let’s be real, yours truly here isn’t a green thumb sort of gal. I enjoy polluting and find it weird when people hug trees.

Kidding.

The garden success belongs to my hubby. Mr. B has this magical touch….he’s like a plant whisperer. Or something. I swear when he walks outside the plants start clapping and roll out the green carpet. When I walk outside, they give me the stink-eye and don’t invite me to sit at their lunch table. So I’m stuck eating my sad little sandwich in the bathroom. It’s awkward.

Rather than bore you with my bathroom stall conversation with myself, let’s talk about these here grilled leeks. Y’all, have you grilled leeks before? I swear I live under a rock sometimes. Just the other day I was reading Liz’s post and she mentioned that Daphne Oz was Dr. Oz’s daughter. Do what? I seriously didn’t have a clue. I feel like I should know these things.

Anyways, these grilled leeks definitely deserve a little fist pumping. I was a little skeptical at first because leeks are all sorts of awkward (note to self: find leeks when needing a lunch mate). They normally don’t scream ‘eat me, but let me tell you friends, it works. Think of it as eating one slender caramelized onion. Cue the drool.

Now, we can’t just stop at the yummy caramelized leek. We need to add a little topper, how about fresh basil and tomatoes? With Grier Groceries in full swing, I decided to try out the Aristotle basil. What’s Aristotle basil you ask? I haven’t a sniffing clue. What I do know, is that it looks like a large, poofy brain. Maybe it’s a symbol of Aristotle’s brain because it’s full of secrets? No? K.

If you’re looking for a quick, non-salad salad for your weeknight dinner or backyard barbecue, give these grilled leeks a try.

Your garden will thank you.

Print Recipe

Grilled Leeks with Garden Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large leeks, split in half, washed
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup tiny mozzarella balls
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle each leek with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place leeks on grill and grill for about 10 minutes until nice and soften. Remove from grill and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, mozzarella balls, shallot, balsamic vinegar, and basil. Add a little bit of olive, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place one leek on a plate and top with a spoonful of the tomato mixture. Repeat with remaining three leeks!

All images and text ©Lauren Grier for The Curious Plate