Leeks release a good deal of their own water when they cook. They reduce considerably in volume and swim in their own fragrant broth by the end. Keep a stash of these on hand to layer on sandwiches, serve alongside chicken legs, or stuff into a quiche. You can easy double the recipe (increasing the cooking time by half) and freeze extra cooked leeks for later use.
I like the crunch of whole spices, so I scatter the peppercorns and coriander seeds among the leeks. If you’d rather contain them to remove them after cooking, first tie them in a cheesecloth sachet.