Golden Brown Leek Gratin

The first words out of my husband's mouth after taking a bite of this beautiful, flavorful dish was, "I love them leeks!".  I agree.  

8 medium leeks, white and light green parts only
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, OR  a good quality Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Halve leeks lengthwise, leaving halves attached at root, and rinse well, shaking off water.
2. In a large skillet, combine cream, wine and leeks, season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil over medium high; reduce to a medium simmer, cover and cook 5 minutes.
4. Uncover and simmer until leeks are tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer leeks and sauce to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.  At this point the dish may be covered and refrigerated, up to 1 day ahead.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden and bubbling, about 35 minutes.
7. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving.