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• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large leeks, white part with just a bit of green, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
• 6 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 potatoes)
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 long red chili pepper, minced, optional
• Salt, optional
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or soy milk
• Roasted red pepper strips, optional
• Finely snipped chives

In a large dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds, stirring, until fragrant and they just begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to a mortar or a spice grinder and grind. Set aside.

In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, peppercorns and reserved cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to large (minimum 5-quart) slow cooker stoneware. Add vegetable stock.

Add sweet potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until potatoes are tender. Add green pepper and chili pepper, if using. Cover and cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes, until peppers are tender. Season to taste with salt, if using.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cream and garnish with roasted red pepper strips and chives.

-- "The Healthy Slow Cooker" by Judith Finlayson

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• 3 leeks, trimmed
• Kosher salt
• 6 lamb rib chops, 1 inch thick, frenched and trimmed
• 1/4 cup flour
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Split leeks lengthwise in half and rinse well. Tie the leek halves together with string. Cook them in simmering salted water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove leeks and drain on paper towels. When they are cool, remove the string.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Whisk the egg with the milk in a shallow bowl. Grate the zest from 1 lemon (keep the lemon for juice) and stir the zest and thyme leaves into the bread crumbs. Dredge the chops in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then dip them in the egg mixture, and, finally, coat them in the seasoned bread crumbs.

Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the chops and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Lower the heat and cook for another 2 minutes on each side or until medium rare. Transfer the chops to an ovenproof plate, loosely cover with aluminum foil and then place in the oven.

Wipe out the frying pan and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle in the sugar, then add the leeks cut side down. Cook over medium heat until the leeks caramelize slightly and are heated through. Halve the zested lemon, and add a squeeze of juice to the pan. Remove from the heat.

Cut the remaining lemon into wedges. Place 3 leek halves on each plate, top with the chops and serve with lemon wedges.

-- "Bones" by Jennifer McLagan

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• 4 cups thinly sliced leeks (including some dark green parts)
• 8 ounces linguine
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus shaved parmesan for garnish
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces (about 1 ounce) plus additional for garnish
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups thinly sliced radicchio

To prepare the leeks, trim the bottoms and cut in half lengthwise. Then rinse under cold running water, separating the layers to remove the dirt.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Puree parsley, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/4 cup walnuts, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons oil in mini-processor until coarse puree forms. Season pesto with salt and pepper. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta, pesto, and radicchio to leeks; toss, adding cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Garnish with walnuts and shaved parmesan.

Makes 2 servings.

-- Bon Appetit

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• 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 medium head cabbage (about 2 pounds)
• 3 large leeks
• 1 cup chicken broth

Peel potatoes and quarter. Cut cabbage into 1-inch squares. In a 5- to 6-quart kettle, cover potatoes and cabbage with salted cold water by 2 inches and simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes.

While vegetables are simmering, cut pale green and white parts of leeks into 1/2-inch pieces and in a bowl of cold water wash leeks well. Lift leeks from water into a colander to drain. In a saucepan simmer leeks in broth, covered, until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain leeks in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve cooking liquid.

Drain potatoes and cabbage in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. With a potato masher mash mixture. Stir in leeks, adding some of reserved cooking liquid to thin potatoes if desired. Season potatoes with salt and pepper.

Potatoes may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat potatoes, covered, in a 350-degree oven about 30 minutes.

Serves 6.

-- Gourmet

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• 8 medium leeks

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar with tarragon (I used red wine vinegar)
• 1 clove garlic, put through a press (I chopped it finely)
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Salt
• 12 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Trim the leeks, cutting off the root and most of the green tops. Wash them carefully and cut into slices. Drop the leeks into boiling salted water for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they are just barely tender. Drain the leeks immediately and rinse with cold water.

Make a vinaigrette sauce, beating together the olive oil, wine vinegar, garlic, pepper, salt and mustard. A little more oil or vinegar may be added for a more bland or tart sauce, according to your preference. Pour about 2/3 cup of this sauce over the leeks and chill very well.

Serves 4 to 6.

-- Cooks.com