Cookin Canuck

Braised Leeks with Red Pepper Cream Cheese Sauce & Capers Recipe

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Braised Leeks with Red Pepper Cream Cheese Sauce & Caper Recipe

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Kraft.

When cream cheese is mentioned, one of three things comes to mind – slathered bagels, cheesecake or frosting. Quite honestly, I rarely use cream cheese for anything else. Of course, that is a rather narrow-minded view, as many people use cream cheese in dishes such as mashed potatoes, pasta, and French toast. When Philadelphia Cream Cheese asked that I develop a recipe for a side dish using their product, I felt as though someone was shoving me off my precarious ledge of comfort.

While leeks are part of the same family as onions and garlic (the allium family), they have a much milder taste, particularly when braised. This makes them a willing backdrop to almost any accompanying flavors. Mediterranean ingredients are a particularly good accompaniment for the mellow vegetable. For this sauce, a roasted red bell pepper is blended with cream cheese and a splash of vegetable broth to make a velvety sauce. Quite honestly, I was worried that the cream cheese would make the sauce taste too…well…cream cheesy. Instead, it added a subtle tang and leant a creamy texture to this luxurious, but healthy sauce.

As for the leeks, the process of cooking them is painless. Once cleaned and cut (see my how-to post on preparing leeks), they are sauteed and braised in vegetable broth in under ten minutes and ready to be topped with the roasted red pepper sauce and briny capers. Cream cheese has found its niche in my kitchen, and it doesn’t even involve bagels.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese is currently running its second annual Real Women of Philadelphia Contest . The spokesperson, Paula Deen, is inviting home cooks from around the country to submit videos of themselves cooking with Philadelphia Cream Cheese products. This contest highlights real women cooking real dishes for their family and friends, promotes a community in which we can share recipes, and demonstrates that a dish does not have to be elaborate to be a crowd-pleaser.

In the spirit of this contest, I made this side dish to show that an impressive side dish does not require hours of preparation or difficult techniques. The freshness of the ingredients speak for themselves and will make the lowly side dish the highlight of the meal.

The recipe:

The sauce:
In a blender, combine roasted red bell pepper (see How to: Roast a Bell Pepper), cream cheese and vegetable broth. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and puree briefly. The sauce can be served room temperature or it can be heated in a small saucepan set over low heat.

LeeksCreamCheese3

The leeks:
Prepare leeks by cutting off the dark green leaves (discard or save for another use), cutting the leeks in half lengthwise, and thoroughly washing the dirt from between the layers. (For a step-by-step photo tutorial on this process, head to How to: Prepare a Leek.) Cut each leek piece in half again lengthwise.

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Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

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Add vegetable broth, cover and cook until leeks are very tender, about 5 minutes.

Place leeks on serving platter and top with roasted red pepper sauce and capers. Serve.

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Braised Leeks with Red Pepper Cream Cheese Sauce & Capers

Sauce:
1 roasted red bell pepper
2 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
3 tsp vegetable broth
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Leeks:
4 large leeks
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth

2 tbsp capers

Sauce:
In a blender, combine roasted red bell pepper, cream cheese and vegetable broth. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and puree briefly. The sauce can be served room temperature or it can be heated in a small saucepan set over low heat.

Leeks:
Prepare leeks by cutting off the dark green leaves (discard or save for another use), cutting the leeks in half lengthwise, and thoroughly washing the dirt from between the layers. (For a step-by-step photo tutorial on this process, head to How to: Prepare a Leek.) Cut each leek piece in half again lengthwise.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add vegetable broth, cover and cook until leeks are very tender, about 5 minutes.

Place leeks on serving platter and top with roasted red pepper sauce and capers. Serve.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Printable recipe

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck)

      Thanks, Heather. Leeks lend themselves very well to braising. This dish is finished in a flash!

      Reply

  4. Katrina

    I’ve never had leeks on their own before. I always seem to make them with something, like soup, or whatnot. This sounds lovely! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

    Reply

  5. Gourmantine

    I think leeks are such an understated vegetable, especially when they are so easy to prepare. Your sauce turned out beautifully and I’m very interested in trying leek-bell pepper-cream cheese combination 🙂

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck)

      Lauren, I have actually already used it on pasta and in a sandwich. It’s really versatile.

      Reply

  9. Monet

    Oh I love leeks…they always remind me of Spring. And I loved learning about this new way to prepare a creamy sauce. I have a packet of cream cheese in my fridge. Perfect. Thank you for sharing with me tonight, my sweet friend. I hope that you have a wonderful week full of laughter, love and good food. As always, I’m leaving tonight feeling inspired by your creativity and kindness.

    Reply

    • Dara (Cookin' Canuck)

      Leeks topped with a vinaigrette is a wonderful combination – one of my favorite ways to enjoy them.

      Reply

  12. Elin

    CC , this is a wonderful dish…leek with cream cheese….gosh must be delicious. I must try this out 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe. Have a nice day CC,
    Elin

    Reply

  15. Brooks at Cakewalker

    Dara, what a fabulous looking dish! I love the sauce component and the simplicity of the braised leeks. You are right, this side dish is impressive AND user-friendly. Thank you for sharing it.

    Reply

  18. Mary at n00bcakes

    Mmm, wow that looks delicious! I’m not sure I’ve ever had leeks before, but this recipe definitely makes me willing to try them out. Great to see another easy-but-delicious recipe!

    Reply

  19. Dmarie

    your recipe looks fabulous! I just bought some of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Sauce in a little tub (coupon for a free tub and coupon for $1 off a tub, so I got two), and it was too cream cheesy for what I did with it. Next time I will use half the tub and liven it up in a similar manner to what you’ve done here. well done!

    Reply

  20. Drick

    oh my goodness Dara, this is one heck of a recipe, or two… and thank you for both of them
    the red pepper cream cheese sauce just sounds so perfect for so many things, you know I am thinking seafood… can’t wait to try it out

    Reply

  23. Lora @cakeduchess

    I love cooking with leeks and your braised leeks look just wonderful! The red pepper cream cheese sauce must taste delicious and I am going to have to try for it out for my in-laws before they leave:)

    Reply

  24. Tickled Red

    It never occured to me to make a sauce with my cream cheese :O! This looks fabulous and delicious. I can’t wait to veture off that ledge and try this myself.

    Reply

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