
This is a very French bistro preparation. The sunny yellow Mimosa sauce is named for a type of flowering Bush common in the South of France.

Ingredients
- 12 medium leeks
- salt and pepper
- 2 cup vinaigrette
- 12 hardboiled eggs
- red bell pepper strips for garnish (optional)
- chives, minced
- very good olive oil
Directions
1. Remove several layers of tough outer green leaves and cut all the lengths to about 8 inches. Trim the little rootlets from the ends, but do not go crazy here and trim them too high up the leek. We want them to hold together during cooking. Cleaning a leek well is very important. You need to remove the grit and dirt that is always between the layers. It is a much easier when you are chopping or dicing them. But we want them left mostly intact lengthwise. So try this trick. Starting at the root end stick the point of your knife into the white part about one inch up from the very bottom. Then slice the leek upwards lengthwise all the way through the green tops. It will look like a clothes pin. You can then wash between the layers taking care to leave the white root end intact.
2. Fill a large pot with water, or alternatively fit a large pot with a steamer insert, add water. Which ever method you choose boil the water. To get them ready for boiling you should tie all the green leaves together in one bunch, not too tight though. You can now boil or steam the leeks vertically or horizontally depending on the pan you choose. If you boil them, the water in the pan should completely cover the leeks. They may float a bit at the beginning but as they cook they should submerge. Check on them regularly to be sure. If you steam them make sure you have a tight fitting lid. When they are totally tender. Almost to the point of mushy (but not quite) remove them from the water. Add the leeks to a shallow pan laying cut sides up. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Whisk 2 cups of vinaigrette together with 1 cup of water. Pour this mixture over the leeks and marinate the leeks in the refrigerator at least overnight and up to 3 days.
3. When you are ready to serve hard-boil a dozen eggs. Let them cool and peel them. Cut each egg in half lengthwise and separate the yolks from the whites. Dice them separately to keep the final product pretty.
4. Remove the leeks from the marinade. Then plate the leeks in individual servings or on one big platter. That’s up to you. Top them first with the egg whites followed by followed by the egg yolks.
5. A garnish of diced chives and/or thin strips of roasted red pepper is a very nice touch. Salt, pepper and a drizzle of really good olive oil and they are ready to serve.
Love the premise, but I think the problem lies in the greens inherent mildness. Since there isn’t much to the red mustard green, it can’t hold up in such a preparation. I think even starting with a bechamel instead of the ricotta would have yielded similar results. The combination of the other ingredients along with the long cooking time robbed the greens of all their subtle deliciousness. Perhaps the greens would’ve held up better if you had skipped wilting them with the mushrooms and reduced the cooking time- although this would probably have lead to the gratin not setting up properly and ruined your desired plating.
-Geoff
http://www.imafoodblog.com
First let me say Bravo! This seems to be a new blog. Despite it’s newness it has a fresh approach and a solid point of view. Is this your first blog? Are you a professional in the food industry? Are you an an actor?
Your videos are funny. But this latest entry is intriguing. You never see foodies who admit errors. If indeed you made any.
But what I like is that your blog is smart as well as funny. You seem to get smart readers too. Geoff may have solved your problem already. My suggestion is that your cheese egg combo was indeed overcooked, which will explain it’s dry texture. Hope it helps.
I wanted to comment on the Red Spinach…seems that was not what I had under my delicate little tomatillos as I though…I will have too look for that, and the panini was wonderful…
Second I agree with the first writer, and second reply…I also have been trying to admit to mistakes in my work, adding hints at the end, because I find many blogs admit to me they write them before making the dish…and if it does not work out then we learn and make it again one day…Greg, your food makes me very hungry for more!