You are probably familiar with leeks as a mild member of the onion family (most commonly used in soups) that resemble large green onions in appearance.  Sweet when cooked, I actually adore braising leeks with a little butter and white wine as a stand-alone side dish.  Revered in French cuisine, leeks are often times used as a main ingredient classic dishes like leeks vinaigrette, vichyssoise, savory tarts and bread puddings, or even leeks mimosa.

For this side dish I sliced the leeks before sautéing them in a touch of butter along with freshly chopped sage; next I deglaze the pan with white wine and cook the leeks until fragrant and tender.  Crispy cubes of pancetta are then added into the mix and the whole thing topped off with grated Gruyère cheese.  Gruyère gives a wonderfully nutty flavor to the dish and since the leeks are still warm from the pan, the cheese slowly melts over everything.

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Tagged: braised leeks, braised vegetables, braising, fresh sage, Gruyere cheese, leek, leeks, pancetta, side dish, vegetables, white wine, white wine-braised leeks