Creamy Garleek Pasta Salad w/Grilled Chicken

 

About this recipe:

Sweet Garleek was developed by Row 7 Seed Company, a collaboration between Michelin-Star Chef Dan Barber (Blue Hill & Stone Barns) and Plant Breeder/Professor of Agriculture Michael Mazourek (Cornell Univ.). The company focuses on creating unique and flavorful produce, and Garleek are a perfect example of their talents: thin, tinder and mild leeks with a pronounced garlicky note. Garleek works well in any dish calling for leeks, and have a wide variety of uses. They are excellent grilled, sautéed, roasted, and even raw.

Our Creamy Garleek Pasta Salad uses both raw (dark green tips) and sautéed Garleek, along with tons of fresh herbs and tangy goat cheese to make an irresistible summer pasta salad that is good warm or chilled.

Ingredients:

For the Pasta:

  • 1 pound frilly pasta (Gigli, Campanelle, Fusilli, Rotini, etc.)

  • 4 Sweet Garleeks

  • 2 Tbs Minced Fresh Thyme leaves

  • 1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley

  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Basil

  • 4 oz Goat Cheese, Crumbled

  • 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

  • 2 Tablespoons EV Olive Oil

  • Kosher Salt to Taste

For the Grilled Chicken:

  • 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Butterflied (or 4 Chicken Cutlets)

  • 2 Cups Cold water

  • 2 Tbs Kosher Salt

  • 6 Parsley stems (from the minced parsley)

  • 6 Sprigs of Thyme.

  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

For the Chicken:
 Dissolve 2 Tbs Kosher Salt in 2 Cups of Cold Water. Place the butterflied Chicken Breasts in a bowl or ziplock bag, add the Parsley Stems, Thyme Sprigs, and a few cracks of Black Pepper.  Add the cold water, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (but no more than 12 hours).

Remove chicken from brine, discarding herbs, and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat the grill on highest setting (or build a hot charcoal fire).

Drizzle the breasts with Olive Oil and grill, flipping frequently to promote even cooking. Remove when internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast reaches 145º. Place in a bowl or rimmed dish and cover tightly with foil. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/2-inch chunks.

For the Pasta:
Cook Pasta “al dente” according to box directions. Drain and add to bowl (if serving warm) or rinse under cool water first (if serving chilled).

While Pasta is cooking, thinly slice the top 2-inches of the dark Garleek tips, set aside. Split the remaining Garleeks in half lengthwise and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sauté the Garleeks over medium heat with a splash of Olive Oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender about 5-7 minutes. Add two Tablespoons of water, cover, and turn off heat. Allow to steam another 3-5 minutes.

Add all ingredients, except the reserved raw Garleek tips, to the pasta and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Sprinkle the raw Garleek tips over the top and serve!

NOTEs:

Like conventional leeks, Garleek can be a little dirty in the crooks of the leaves, so be sure to rinse them thoroughly under running water.

This dish can easily be vegetarian by omitting the chicken, or vegan by swapping the goat cheese with a quarter cup of vegan cream cheese (we like Trader Joe’s brand!).

Any frilly pasta will work. We love Seven Hills Gigli for this recipe. It’s made right in Boston and has a wonderful texture and flavor.

For the best grilled chicken we ALWAYS brine the breasts for at least 4 hours before grilling, but leaving them in the brine too long (12hrs+) can cause mushy meat.