As you may have guessed, I will soon be making Leek and Potato soup. Julia Child may call it a staple, but in my house (by my brothers mostly) it isn’t well known. While I was looking at the freshness of some of the leeks in my fridge, my niece came up to me and asked, “What the heck is that?!’ So I now have come to the conclusion that I should refresh everyone on Allium ampeloprasum.
Leek-Noun-A plant of the amaryllis family, allied to the onion, having a cylindrical bulb and leaves used in cookery.
Leeks have a very unique flavor, it’s mildly oniony and delicious. The white bottom of the plant is the strongest in flavor, and most similar to onions in texture. But when you get to the green top, the flavor is less intense and the texture is like cabbage.
One of the bigger reasons that leeks are less used by the amateur cook is the “difficulty” of prepping the leek. Leeks grow a bit like onions: in layers. During this growing process grit gets up in between the leaves and needs a bit more attention when cleaning. But really? It’s not that bad. Yes, it’s a bit more than a onion, but the flavor is worth it.
Here are some easy steps in preparing a leek!
