The wine event we are heading to tonight has a Willamette Valley theme and I wanted a heartier dish to share that would focus on spring ingredients. I stumbled upon this Roasted Leek and Potato Salad and thought it could be a winner:
Ingredients
- 4 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, halved lengthwise
- 1 pound fingerling or baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
- 2 teaspoons chopped drained capers
- 2 cups mixed baby greens
- 4 hard-cooked eggs, quartered or thickly sliced
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the leeks and potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange the leeks and potatoes on the baking sheet, cut side down, and roast them on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until the leeks are lightly browned and tender. Transfer the leeks to a work surface and cut them crosswise into 2-inch lengths. Continue to roast the potatoes for about 10 minutes longer, or until they are browned and tender.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil with the red wine vinegar, mustard and capers and season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, toss the greens with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and arrange on 4 plates. Put the leeks and potatoes in the bowl and toss with all but 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Arrange the leeks and potatoes on the greens. Garnish the salads with the eggs, drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top and serve.
Leeks have a suggested pairing of Pinot Noir so I choose a Strangeland 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir that is from the hills northwest of Salem, Oregon. They are small producer that focuses on delivering the highest quality. The bottle describes that flavor as: “Staring with violet florals and candied fruits on the nose, this well structured, complex vintage is traceable to its fine pedigree of 6 vineyards of unique terroir.” So what does that mean? You will smell more floral than you will taste it and pinot noir has a very strong fruity flavor. It is a good wine for groups and you can find some solid pinot noir under $20.
Our second appetizer is smoked salmon with cream cheese and cucumbers on a wasa crackers. I picked smoked salmon because it pairs well with white wines, specifically Pinot Gris. Too bad I can’t eat this appetizer since I am allergic to cream cheese! But I know the 30+ plus others that will be there should enjoy it 
Taking one for the team on this recipe 
The Pinot Gris (which is the same grape as Italian Pinot Grigio and one of the few white wines that I actually like) is from Ponzi Vineyards which is in Beaverton, Oregon. This is a 2009 and from a sustainable vineyard! One thing that I like about Pinot Gris is that it is aged in stainless steel instead of oak. For some reason oaky-ness is not a taste that my palette likes, no matter how hard I try. Pinot Gris typically has a light floral taste with notes of lemon and citrus. It is a great summer wine.
Off to enjoy some wine and good food!
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