You've heard of steak (and maybe even chicken) au poivre, but let us introduce you to its even more delicious vegetable counterpart: creamy braised leeks au poivre. Leeks are seared until the edges are crispy, then braised in a delicious creamy peppercorn sauce until they're melt-in-your-mouth tender. Cheesy, crispy breadcrumbs and a few minutes under the broiler finish these off perfectly for a side dish you won't be able to stop talking about!
This post is sponsored by Shamrock Farms. As always, all opinions are our own.
Au poivre, minus the steak
If my (Lexi's) husband, Brent, has a signature dish, it's definitely steak au poivre. He makes it for us all the time, usually alongside our favorite herb roasted potatoes and a simple arugula parmesan salad, and we never get sick of it. There's also never any sauce leftover.
If you've never had au poivre, it's a creamy, rich, peppercorn-heavy sauce with a splash of cognac and plenty of heavy cream. It pairs just as well with beautifully braised leeks as it does with steak, and it makes for an absolutely incredible side dish. Seriously – make this one when you're trying to impress your dinner guests.
A few things we learned: in one batch, we tried skipping the sear and just braising the raw leeks, and they were fine, but definitely flat. The browning is where a lot of the flavor comes from, so don't rush it.
Another thing that matters here is the cream. This sauce needs to stay glossy and thick enough to cling to the leeks. We use Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream, which is what we reach for in any cream sauce because it's rich, it reduces beautifully, and it never gets grainy under the broiler!
It's the same cream that makes our dauphinoise potatoes so good too, but we also use it for sweets like our Atlantic Beach Pie or Meringue Christmas Wreath. Now's the time to stock up for the holidays – see where to find Shamrock Farms near you here.
xoxo, Lexi & Beth
Key Ingredients Needed For Braised Leeks Au Poivre
- Leeks: Look for 5 large, evenly sized leeks. You'll only use the white and light green parts, so bigger leeks mean more usable rounds. Smaller leeks fall apart when you sear them, and they also won't fill your baking dish as well.
- Whole black peppercorns: This is au poivre, so don't swap in pre-ground pepper. Freshly cracked peppercorns give you that slightly floral heat and coarse texture that's essential to the recipe.
- Cognac (or brandy): A small splash adds depth and a little sweetness. Most of the alcohol cooks off. If you'd rather skip it, use an extra splash of stock plus a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream: This is what we use in the sauce, and all sorts of other recipes, from our Cranberry White Chocolate Tart to our Key Lime Possets. Shamrock Farms has been making dairy since 1922, and their heavy whipping cream starts with cream from their family of local farms. It's the cream chefs reach for in sauces and soups, and after many batches of this recipe (and years of making steak au poivre), we totally trust it to make the best sauce.
- Dijon and Worcestershire: Dijon adds a little tang that keeps the cream from feeling heavy, and Worcestershire brings savory depth.
- Panko, gruyère and parmesan: Panko stays crunchier than regular breadcrumbs, which is a nice contrast to the soft leeks. Gruyère melts beautifully and has a nutty flavor that's classic with leeks.
How to Make Braised Leeks au Poivre
Clean and slice the leeks
Slice the white and light green parts into 1 to 1¼ inch rounds, then rinse under cold water, separating the layers as needed to flush out sand/dirt. Pat dry (important so they sear instead of steam!). Season the leek rounds with salt.
Sear until golden
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Sear the leeks cut side down for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and cook another 3 minutes or so. Arrange them in a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish.
Make the peppercorn sauce
Coarsely crush the peppercorns. We do this by placing them in a plastic bag and smashing with a rolling pin, but you can also use a mortar and pestle.
In the same skillet over medium, cook the butter, shallot and peppercorns for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Turn off the heat, add the cognac, then return to the heat and cook until nearly gone. Add the stock and reduce by half.
Stir in the heavy cream, thyme, Dijon, Worcestershire and salt. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, just until it coats the back of a spoon (it thickens more in the oven).
Braise
Pour the sauce over the leeks, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F/175°C for 25 to 35 minutes, until a knife slides easily through the darker green rounds.
Top and broil
Switch the oven to broil, scatter the panko, gruyère and parmesan over the top, and broil for about 4 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Watch it closely because it can burn quickly. Sprinkle with chives and serve warm!
Top Tips from the CK Test Kitchen!
- Clean the leeks twice. Leeks grow in sandy soil and can be pretty dirty, especially toward the green end. We do a quick rinse, then slice, then rinse the rounds individually. If you see any dirt after the first rinse, do it again. If there is trapped dirt, it's pretty easy to move the layers around to get water between any dirty layers.
- Safety tip: turn off the heat before adding cognac. Alcohol poured into a hot pan over a flame can ignite, so be careful! To be safe, turn off the burner, add the cognac, then turn the heat back on. If it does flare, just cover the pan with a lid and it will go out.
- Don't over-reduce the cream. The sauce only needs to coat the back of a spoon on the stovetop, because it thickens further as it bakes. If it's already too thick in the pan, it can get kind of pasty in the oven. An extra splash of stock will thin it out.
- Make it ahead. You can sear the leeks and make the sauce up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the fridge. Heat up the sauce over medium-low, then assemble and bake as usual.
- Storage and reheating. These are definitely best enjoyed right away. If you have leftovers, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, then uncover for the last few minutes to re-crisp the topping. Keep in mind that the sauce may separate a bit when reheated from the fridge.
- Serve this with: simple roast chicken, a good steak, turkey (for Thanksgiving!) and a simple salad with a sharp vinaigrette to cut through all of that cream. These are also, of course, great with mashed potatoes (or our kale colcannon!).
More Side Dish Recipes You'll Love
- Fondant Leeks (leeks are seared, then basted in a garlic and herb butter until tender!)
- Bacon Wrapped Carrots with Maple Dijon Glaze
- Onion Tarte Tatin with savory balsamic caramel
- Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprouts with lots of lemon, parmesan and pine nuts
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Recipe
Braised Leeks Au Poivre
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and grease a large oval or rectangular (9x13 inch) baking dish with butter.
- Wash the leeks thoroughly, getting water between the layers, then slice into 1-1 ¼ inch rounds, using only the light green and white parts. If the leeks still look dirty, wash again, moving around the layers to loosen any stuck dirt. Thoroughly pat the leeks dry (this is important so they sear instead of steam). Season the leek rounds with salt.
- In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add in the leeks in a single layer, searing for 4-5 minutes until golden brown, then flip and sear another ~3 minutes. If needed, work in batches and add more oil.
- Arrange the seared leeks in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Gently crush the peppercorns. You can do this with a mortar and pestle, or place the peppercorns in a plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin.
- Using the same pan that you cooked the leeks in, reduce heat to medium and add in the butter, shallots and cracked peppercorns. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the shallot starts to soften and the pepper is fragrant.
- Turn off the heat, then add in the cognac, return to heat and continue cooking until most of the cognac has cooked off. Add in the stock and simmer until it's reduced by half.
- Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream, thyme, Dijon, Worcestershire and salt. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the leeks. Cover with foil, then bake for 25-35 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the darker green medallions.
- In a bowl, toss together the breadcrumbs and both cheeses. After 25-35 minutes, turn the oven to broil. Top the leeks with the breadcrumb mixture and return to the oven to broil for about 4 minutes, watching closely, until golden brown and bubbling.
- Garnish with chives and serve warm!
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