Serves 6

Squash wafers can accompany any soup or be used with dips for appetizers.

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

2 medium-size yellow squashes

1 tablespoon curry powder

Fresh-cracked black pepper, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

1 whole leek

¼ cup Spanish olives

¾ cup brown rice

2½ cups Basic Vegetable Stock (see recipe on page 106)

• Preheat oven to 250°.

• Grease a baking sheet with some of the olive oil. Very thinly slice the squashes, then place on the baking sheet and drizzle (or spray) with more oil (about half the oil). Sprinkle with curry, pepper, and salt. Bake for 6 to 8 hours, until the squash is thoroughly dried and crisp.

• Finely slice the whole leek and chop the olives. Heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan; sweat the leeks until soft, then add the rice and stock. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until the rice is completely cooked.

• To serve, spoon the cooked rice onto serving plates, sprinkle with olives, and arrange the squash wafers on top.

Cleaning Leeks

Leeks tend to trap a lot of earth, sand, and grit in between their layers. It's important to wash leeks twice before using them. For dishes where the leek will be used unchopped, trim the roots leaving the root core still attached to the leek. Fan through the leek layers with your thumb and middle finger while running the leek under cold, clear water. Repeat several times.

Chopped leeks should be submerged in a large amount of clean water, rubbed together with your hands, and then skimmed off. Rinse the bowl of any accumulated grit, and wash the leeks this way again. Make sure to agitate the water vigorously with your hands to dislodge stubborn sand.