BRAISED LEEKS! and Vegcetera in Tomato Sauce

For the sauce: I minced shallot 1 smashed or minced clove of garlic bit of Olive Oil or butter 1-1/2 cups tomato puree (or sauce) 1-1/2 cups chicken, beef of vegetable stock or broth Dash of vermouth or white wine Bay leaf, thyme For the Leeks and Veg-cetera 1 large leek 1 potato 2 small turnips 1 or 2 carrot 1 or 2 stalks celery 3 tbsps. California Olive Ranch Olive Oil Cappelini or angel hair pasta for two Grated Peccorino romano cheese – sheep milk from Italy! Bit of oil or butter Cut the leek tops off leaving about an inch of green. Clean the leek tops carefully enough to remove all dirt and save them for another use tomorrow. Trim the root hairs without disturbing the bottom attachment. Split the leek and clean the top end, very carefully removing ALL traces of dirt. Keep the leek halves whole. Turn them cut side down on a paper towel to drain a bit. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large stainless or enamel skillet that can be covered. Brown the cut sides of the split leeks over medium heat – don’t let them blacken – a good medium brown will be pretty enough. Remove the browned leeks from the skillet. While the leeks are browning, in a separate sauce pan brown a minced shallot and a clove of garlic, also minced; then pour in equal quantities of tomato sauce or puree and stock or broth (chicken, beef or vegetable) into the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add a bay leaf and some thyme, as well as a good dash of Vermouth or white wine. I used a Blue Fin Viognier – because it was handy, because I like it better than Chardonnay, and because it’s both cheap enough to cook and good enough to drink with dinner. Left over Viognier will not be a problem. Simmer the sauce gently while you brown the leek and the vegetables – to set the flavors. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf. While the leek halves are browning, peel a potato and two turnips. Cut the potato in thick rounds or, if it was small, in two halves. Cut the turnips in half. Brown one flat side of each piece in the olive oil, adding more if necessary. Peel the carrot; trim its stem and root end, and then (if it is fat) cut it in half longways. If it is not fat, use two thin carrots. Organic carrots generally taste better. Unpeeled carrots have slightly more minerals than than peeled carrots (from the dirt), but I don’t like the taste of the peel. Cut them into several short lengths. Take at least two good stout stalks of celery, trim the top end, remove any bad or snail-chewed parts, and cut them in lengths to match the carrot. Brown these morsels in the skillet, adding a bit more oil if necessary. N.B. You may add half a box of sliced mushrooms and sauté them if you have some on hand – and if you like mushrooms. Arrange the leak halves side by side head to toe cut side up in the center of the skillet. Surround them with the other vegetables. Pour the sauce over. It should come nearly high enough to cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer over low heat on top of the stove, then cover the skillet and braise in the oven at 325 degrees for an hour or so, until everything is tender.. About 20 minutes before it is done, fill a large saucepan ¾ full with water and bring to a boil. Salt to your liking for cooking pasta. Add a bit of oil or not, just as you please. Add enough cappelini or angel hair, broken in half, to feed two people. A circle of thumb and foreginger works at my house for a measure. Cook a few minutes until just done. Two minutes may do. Do not overcook. Drain. Return to the saucepan. Add a spoon of oil or butter to your liking and a light sprinkling of the real Romano sheep milk cheese from Italy. Stir. Serve from the saucepan, which should be carried to the table with its cover on to keep it warm. For the dishup – Put a serving of angel hair in the center of a warm plate, top with vegetables and sauce. Sprinkle on a bit more cheese – not enogh to be more than a grace note. We used homemade ciabbatta to wipe the plates clean. Use the leftover leek tops in soup or stew. Discard any bits that have gone yellow.