How to Prepare Leeks

Leeks belong to the Allium family, and is a popular vegetable added to soups and stews, and used as a garnish. Unlike other members of its family that produce bulb-like onions, leeks are cylindrical in shape in bundled green leaf sheaths. And unlike other onions, leeks are mellow in taste, especially in its pungency. To get the right flavor or taste, it is imperative to know your leeks and how to prepare them.

Preparing Leeks for Cooking

Leeks are available in quite a number of cultivars, that make it easier to find fresh ones throughout the year. Certain varieties are intended for harvest in the same season they are planted, while some are harvested the following spring. Leeks found in summer are mostly short as compared to the ones harvested the following year. Peak winters is perhaps the only time, leeks disappear from the vendor's basket. Being a green leafy vegetable, leeks require plenty of cleaning, even the ones bought from vegetable stores.

Not all parts of the leek is added to meals, only the white onion base and light green stalk. This onion base has mild flavor. The dark green leafy portion is usually left out for garnishes, as it is tasteless and being too ripened can be woody, chewy and flavorless. However, this dark green portion is used while preparing stock. Leaves are also used for decorative purposes, like they are twined to hold bouquets or pouches together.

Washing and Preparing

While picking your leeks fresh from the garden or stores, make sure you pick green healthy ones. Soft or mushy onion base should be avoided as that is a sign of set rot, and wet leek leaves don't hold well. Cut the leek's cylindrical bulb at the base just below the really dark green part. The leek has plenty of layers on the inside, and each layer is capable of collecting quite a bit of dirt. How you cut the leeks now completely depends upon how and what you want to use it in; lengthwise or roundels.

Cooking Leeks

To cut your leeks into rings, hold them down on a flat cutting board, 6-7 together, and start from the base side until you reach the length where the leaves get separated. Place the leek roundels in a large bowl of water and gently swirl it. Let it stand in water. The grime will loosen up and settle down. Lift the leek rings up and drain dirty water. If the leeks are quite dirty follow the process a couple of times. For particular needs, leeks can be cut lengthwise too. Just trim off the base and just below the dark green leaf starts. For slimmer leeks, cut half into lengthwise, whereas a more rounder leek can have three cuts. Unlike other members of the onion family, leeks cannot be eaten raw, they need to cooked; steamed, stewed or boiled. Some do prefer to eat raw, but as part of salad with dressing added.

Now that you are well-versed with the idea of cooking leeks, how to prepare them and use them in different dishes should not be so difficult.