Fried Leeks with Tarragon Vinegar

It is no secret that I'm fond of leeks. I use them in place of onions in much of my cooking, and a few months ago I discovered the joys of leek fritters (prassokeftedes) from the Greek Jewish tradition. Delving further into the world of fried leeks, I made a gluten-free adaptation of a wonderful recipe by RecipeZaar user JenPo which is the feature of this post.

I used my Rice Flour Mix as the flour for battering the leeks, but you should be able to use any gluten-free flour mixture that has a fine texture. The recipe calls for tarragon vinegar. You can find an easy recipe for making it at home here or you can buy a premade variety. If you don't have tarragon vinegar on hand, and don't have time to make it, try sprinkling the leeks lightly with chopped fresh tarragon and apple cider vinegar before serving.

These fried leeks are wonderful - they are sweet and tender, and the batter creates a thin, crispy shell around them. This was my first time cooking with fresh tarragon, which gave me an opportunity to really understand and appreciate the fresh, anise-like taste of this herb. The vinegar was a surprisingly lovely finishing touch to this dish, which is intended to be served as a side dish. I was happy to discover that although they lose some of their crispness, these leeks re-heat well in the toaster oven so leftovers can be refrigerated for a day or two if necessary.

This recipe is part of Weekend Herb Blogging, which is hosted this week by one of my favorite food bloggers, What Did You Eat?

FRIED LEEKS WITH TARRAGON VINEGAR

[ Gluten-Free / Vegetarian / Soy-Free / Dairy-Free / Nut-Free / Parve ]

4 leeks, 1-in thick
2 eggs
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp fresh tarragon, rinsed and patted dry (or 1/2 teaspoon dry tarragon)
1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix
Olive oil (not extra virgin) or vegetable oil, for frying
2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar

Trim leeks, removing the tougher and darker green part at the top. Slice in 1/2 lengthwise and rinse well to remove sand and dirt. Cut each leek half into 4-inch pieces and do not allow the layers of the leek to separate from eachother. Place in a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes or until tender. Place on paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Mince half of the tarragon finely and mix with flour, a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and salt. Beat the eggs together in a separate bowl.

Heat just enough oil to cover bottom of pan. When the oil is hot, coat the leeks in egg, then in the flour, and then fry until browned, turning frequently. Sprinkle with the tarragon vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) and the rest of the tarragon and serve hot.