Grilled Leeks with Red Chile Sauce
Fresh green jalepeño, dried chile panka, and curry leaves lend the humble alliums a fragrant, smoky-savory heat.
- Serves
serves 4
- Cook
1 hour

This vegetable side dish from Argentine cook Jorgelina Mandarina is the ideal accompaniment for any barbecue. Leeks are cooked down over the intense heat of a wood fire until they are soft and tender whilst still holding on to just the right measure of acidity. Peruvian chile panka, jalapeño, and curry leaves provide a welcome punch of fragrant heat that departs from the mild flavors of a traditional Argentine asado. Find chile panka at your local Latin grocery store, or online from Kalustyan’s; if unavailable, a small ancho chile is an acceptable substitute.
Featured in: "The Pescatarian Asado: Reframing Argentina's Native Bounty."
Ingredients
For the leeks:
- 4 large leeks (3 lb.)
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 4 rosemary sprigs
- 4 fresh curry leaves
For the salsa:
- 1 medium jalapeño
- 1 dried Peruvian chile panka
- 3 pink peppercorns
- Fine sea salt