What Exactly Are Leeks? (As Well As How To Cook Them)

• Food: Leeks

• Writer: Alice

• Content-Type: Food Blog

Leeks give soups, stews, pasta, and other dishes a sweet, oniony flavor! Learn how to prepare them.

Have you ever had potato-leek soup? I concurred! However, how frequently do you use leeks in other dishes? Have you ever used them in a risotto, stuffing, or pasta dish? Have you consumed them by themselves? We would all eat it a lot more frequently if I had my way.

They can give a distinctive, sweet, and mild onion flavor to a wide variety of foods.

I’ve included my preferred techniques for cutting, cleaning, and cooking leeks below, along with some of my favorite leek recipes.

I hope you’re excited if you currently have a leek in your refrigerator. Although this vegetable seems unassuming, it is quite versatile.

WHAT ARE LEEKS?

As alliums, leeks are related to garlic, chives, shallots, and onions. You can tell by giving them a taste. They give depth to soups, stews, pasta, and more with their sweet, oniony flavor.

In general, I use it the same way I do onions and shallots: at the beginning of a meal, to develop flavor. I’ll share more of my favorite leek recipes in the piece that follows. But I also like to eat them on their own because they are milder than most other alliums.

They make an unexpectedly wonderful side dish when grilled or roasted. Beware: opt for exceptionally fresh, peak-season leeks if you decide to serve them this way. Fall and spring are their prime seasons.

CUTTING LEEKS

Leeks should be sliced differently depending on how they are cooked. Anytime you sauté leeks, whether, for a soup, spaghetti, or risotto, it works brilliantly. This is how it works:

It should first be cut in half lengthwise.

Then, remove the leafy parts, including the dark green roots. Even though most leek recipes won’t call for them, don’t throw away the rough tops! They give the homemade stock a lovely oniony flavor. Until you’re ready to create some, keep them in the freezer in an airtight bag.

Continue cutting the white and light green components after that. On your cutting board, place them cut-side-down and then slice them into long, thin half-moons.

Your leeks may now appear to be somewhat dirty inside. That is entirely typical. Since leeks frequently contain sand and debris, cleaning them is a crucial step in the cutting procedure.

After all the leeks have been thinly sliced, place them in a colander.

To eliminate any dirt or debris, rinse them under lukewarm running water while discarding them. Before you begin cooking, blot the cleaned, chopped leeks dry with a paper towel or kitchen towel.

LEEKS: A COOK’S GUIDE

Now that you understand how to cut them, how about cooking them? My preferred cooking techniques for leeks include roasting, grilling, and sautéing. You’ll chop them slightly differently for each cooking method, as I described above:

• Slice them in half lengthwise, thoroughly dry them off, and then grill them on both sides over medium-high heat until well-charred and tender.
• If you’re roasting them, cut them in half lengthwise, then into 1-inch slices, and wash them as before. When they are tender, bake them at 425° for about 20 minutes after tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Use the above-mentioned cutting technique to prepare them for sautéing, and heat a generous amount of olive oil in a big skillet over medium heat. Leeks should soften after approximately 5 minutes of cooking, so add them now and simmer, stirring occasionally.

You won’t use the black leaves of the leeks in any of these techniques; just the white and light green portions will be utilized. Don’t discard those tops, though! They give the homemade vegetable stock a delicious flavor.

COOKING TECHNIQUES FOR LEEKS

You can use them as a side dish or as an ingredient in any leek recipes you prefer if you have these simple cooking techniques memorized.

Need some inspiration? My favorite applications for them are listed below:

• Eat them as a side dish after grilling or roasting. Serve them over basil pesto, and romesco sauce.
• for soups. Leeks are renowned for giving soups, stews, and stocks more depth. They can be found in the following soups: Oyster Mushroom, Cream of Mushroom, Spring Leek Soup and Vegan Potato, Leek & Artichoke Chowder (page 91 of Love & Lemons Every Day).
• for pasta. For my One-Pot Pasta or Vegetarian Lasagna, add leeks to intensify the taste.
• a risotto. The classic component of risotto is this delicate allium.
• with eggs. Leeks that have been sautéed may be included in a frittata of vegetables, an omelet, or scrambled eggs.
• during stuffing. I particularly enjoy it in the stuffing for Thanksgiving because of its sweet, oniony aroma. You may include them in either my butternut squash stuffing or my traditional stuffing recipe.
• on a pizza. Sauteed leeks can be added to any handmade pizza or the Pizza with Apples, Leeks.

HOW TO CUT AND COOK LEEKS

To soups, stews, and other dishes, leeks lend a sweet, mild onion flavor. I cut and cook them using these techniques. Some of my favorite leek recipes are listed in the blog post above.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch leeks
• extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

CUT THEM PROPERLY

1. Remove the leafy dark green material and stringy roots. The stiff tops of leeks are typically not used, but I love to save them for vegetable stock.
2. It should be split lengthwise. On a cutting board, place them cut-side-down and slice them into thin half-moons. After transferring, rinse under cool running water while tossing to get rid of any dirt or debris. Prior to beginning to cook, wipe them dry with a kitchen towel.

HOW TO PREPARE LEEKS

1. Follow the above-mentioned chopping procedure when sautéing, and heat a generous amount of olive oil in a big skillet over medium heat. Leeks should soften after about 5 minutes of cooking when added along with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
2. Slice the meat into 1-inch slices, wash it according to the directions above, and roast. Roast at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender, after tossing with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. To grill, cut the vegetable in half lengthwise (skip the chopping step above), thoroughly rinse and dry them, drizzle with a little olive oil, and then grill both sides over medium-high until well-charred and fork-tender. Add pepper and salt to taste.