Ravishing ravigote

At least as old as Escoffier, the herbal sauce is suddenly new again.

Happy Friday, saucy cook!

The French love leeks, and poireaux vinaigrette — leeks simmered to tenderness then dressed in vinaigrette — is one of the most popular bistro dishes in all of France.

A few years back, a lovely flourish of chopped hard-boiled egg began to show up atop that simple classic: poireaux mimosa became the entrée du moment. (The entrée is what the first course is called in France, as it’s the entry into the meal, and mimosa is the term for anything with chopped hard-boiled egg on it.) In springtime, you’d see lots of asparagus mimosa as well. The trend continues.

Then, last fall, there was a new leek-look on fashionable plates: poireaux ravigote.

With this evolution, the leeks — usually left whole and poached — come dressed with a vinaigrette boosted with lots of fresh herbs, minced capers and shallots and chopped boiled eggs. Usually the eggs are in the dressing.

It’s really good!

Here’s a nice one I had on my birthday last fall in Paris, at a restaurant called Rives.