Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

Serves 5

• 5 long, thin leeks
• 3 hard-boiled large eggs

For the vinaigrette

• 1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely snipped
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• Salt, pepper

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Leeks mimosa is a very classic bistro starter that has been somewhat neglected in recent years, even though it’s excellent! It’s a leek salad coated in vinaigrette with crumbled hard-boiled eggs, fairly light but still indulgent.

Preparing the leeks and eggs

1. In a saucepan of lightly salted water, hard-boil the eggs for about 10 minutes, run them under cold water, then remove the shells.

2. Meanwhile, rinse the leeks, cut off the darker green part, which you can save for a soup, and keep the white up to the light green.

3. Then cut them in half lengthwise without going all the way through (this lets you check for a tough core and remove it), then wash the leeks while holding them together so they keep their shape, and place them in a saucepan with water to cook for about 30 minutes. They need to be very tender (the blade of a knife should slide out easily). Drain.

4. Peel the hard-boiled eggs, then crumble them.

Making the vinaigrette

5. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar and mustard, then add the oil in a thin stream while whisking. Season with salt and pepper and add the shallot.

6. On a serving plate, arrange the leeks side by side, season with salt and pepper, coat with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the hard-boiled eggs and snipped chives.

Tips

It’s important that the leeks are very tender and melting.

Choose thin leeks, which are better in salads, and keep the big ones for soups.