Turkish Braised Leeks with Tomatoes (Prassa Yahnisi): An Easy Jewish Recipe to Cook in Lockdown, No Dodo Feathers Required

One thing that’s become clear in lockdown (if it wasn’t already) is that we all have different ideas of what constitutes an “easy” recipe composed of “basic” ingredients. You’ve probably seen the memes poking fun at professional foodies who seem woefully out of touch with what does and does not constitute a pantry staple for us common people.

So I know I run the risk of revealing myself to be similarly clueless when I insist that this Turkish Jewish classic is an easy recipe that can be made from basic ingredients I’m 97.5% sure you’ll be able to obtain without too much trouble. You don’t need much more than leeks, tomatoes (canned works just fine), and olive oil.

But wait a minute, cooking (or rather, cleaning) leeks isn’t easy! you might say. But that’s because you haven’t tried my lazy leek method. Basically, instead of going to great lengths to clean these notoriously dirty alliums while keeping their long shape intact, you just slice them into rings. Throw the rings into a salad spinner, if you’ve got one, give them a couple rinses, and spin away.

Or, if you don’t have a salad spinner, rinse the leeks in a bowl of water a couple times, then drain them into a colander and either let them sit out to dry for a bit or pat them down with a towel.

Sure, the presentation may not be as elegant, but honestly, this was never going to be a particularly beautiful dish. Also, who do you have to impress right now?

A History of the Leek

Leeks have long been a staple of Jewish cooking. As in, since the very beginning. These mild members of the onion family are native to the eastern Mediterranean, and were commonly consumed in ancient Egypt—and they’re one of the foods the Israelites longed for after leaving Egypt. Leek remains dating back to the early Bronze Age have been found in Jericho.

The Egyptians weren’t the only leek-loving ancient empire: the Romans adored this vegetable too, and planted it all across their territories throughout Europe. Charlemagne too as a connoisseur of the leek, and he ordered yet more planting, which firmly cemented this allium as a staple of the early Ashkenazi kitchen.

While the leek’s popularity waned as Europe’s Ashkenazi population shifted further eastward, Sephardim never lost their enthusiasm for this allium, which became the single most important vegetable in many areas. While the rest of the world tends to use leeks more as a flavoring component, Sephardim often highlight leeks as the main event, whether in stews, croquettes, or pastry fillings. In the Ottoman Empire—where this dish of leeks braised in tomatoes and olive oil originated—leeks were particularly associated with Jewish cooking, and indeed during periods of severe poverty the leek was often the only vegetable to be found on the Sephardic table.

Use Those Greens!

As with so many leek recipes, this one, adapted from Gil Marks’s Olive Trees and Honey, calls for only the white and light green parts, not the dark greens. I admit in the past I probably would’ve just tossed the latter, but with every edible scrap of food seeming more precious than ever, I searched out a separate recipe to make the most of those greens. I ended up trying this dish of braised leek greens with butter and broth, and while it wasn’t quite as delicious as the prassa yahnisi, it was a perfectly serviceable veggie side that I’d certainly make again should the need arise. If you’re inclined to make your own soup stock, you could also pop your leek greens in the freezer to save up for your next batch.

This dish goes great with some crusty bread—perfect for those of you who’ve jumped on the sourdough bandwagon.

Turkish Braised Leeks with Tomatoes (Prassa Yahnisi)

1 pound (about 5) leeks, white and light green parts only

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound (about 2.5 cups) canned chopped tomatoes, or fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Pinch of sugar, optional

1 cup water

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

Chop the leeks into rings. Throw the rings into a salad spinner, if you’ve got one, give them a couple rinses, and spin away. Or, if you don’t have a salad spinner, rinse the leeks in a bowl of water a couple times, then drain them into a colander and either let them sit out to dry for a bit or pat them down with a towel.

In a large skillet or heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Add the chopped leeks and fry, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar, if using, to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until leeks are very soft, about 20 minutes. If using, stir in the lemon juice and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve chilled as an appetizer, or warm with lots of fresh bread to mop up the sauce.

Sources: Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (Gil Marks, 2010); Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities around the World (Gil Marks, 2004)