Zeytinyagli Pirasa, Braised Leeks with Lemon
Pirasa is the Turkish way with leeks, a zeytinyagli dish meaning cooked in olive oil and eaten cold. This version leaves the oil out entirely: the leeks and carrots sweat in their own moisture, and a spoonful of brown rice lends just enough starch to glaze the pan. The carrots are deliberate, their sweetness replacing the sugar the dish often carries, and a good hit of lemon at the end brightens everything in place of salt. Served cool as a mezze or a light side, it is patient food that tastes better after a few hours in the fridge. Make it ahead and keep it cold.
Ingredients
- 4 wholes Leeks, cut into thick rounds
- 2 wholes Carrots, diced
- 2 tbsp short grain brown rice, rinsed
- 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
- 3 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Slice the leeks into thick rounds and rinse them hard in a bowl of water, lifting them out so the grit sinks. Leeks trap soil between their layers, and washing after cutting is the only way to get it all; a gritty pot ruins an otherwise delicate dish.
- Sweat the leeks and carrots in a wide pot with 3 tablespoons water over medium heat until the leeks slump and turn bright, about 8 minutes, adding a splash more water if the pot dries. This gentle start in water, not oil, is what makes a dish zeytinyagli in spirit while leaving the oil out; the vegetables cook in their own moisture.
- Add the rice, half the lemon juice, and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Cover and simmer very gently until the rice is soft and the leeks are meltingly tender and most of the liquid is gone, about 20 minutes. The handful of rice is not the point of the dish; it is there only to release a little starch that thickens the pan juices into a light glaze.
- The carrot is doing quiet, important work here: Turkish cooks often add sugar to pirasa, and the natural sweetness of two diced carrots cooked soft makes that unnecessary.
- Take the pot off the heat, stir in the rest of the lemon juice and the black pepper, and let it cool completely. Zeytinyagli dishes are always eaten cold or at room temperature, and the lemon added at the end keeps its brightness sharp against the sweet leeks, standing in for salt. Scatter the parsley over just before serving.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 110 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g fiber, 40 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
