When buying leeks, look for a fresh, healthy appearance with dark green leaves and a white bulb. Avoid dried, curled or yellowed leaves, and leeks with thin slime or moisture around the base. Choose a medium-sized leek with sturdy leaves and a firm, not slimy, white part. Avoid leeks over 1.5 inches wide, which may have a tough center. Select leeks of similar size if buying more than one, and note that most recipes only call for the white part.
As with all vegetables, there are a few things to look for to ensure that freshly purchased leeks are of the best possible quality. The leek’s overall appearance should be fresh, vibrant, and healthy with dark green leaves on top and a bright white bulb and base. If the leaves are dried, curled or yellowed, or if any part of the surface of the leek is gouged, then it should be avoided. Depending on how the leeks are stored in the market, plants that have a thin slime or moisture around the base should not be purchased, because it means they have been stored incorrectly or are very old. A good leek shouldn’t be overly large for its variety and time of year, and it should have a light, fresh onion scent instead of an overpowering sulfur smell.
One of the first things to look at when choosing the best leeks is its color. A well-treated, healthy leek will have a bold pair of contrasting colors. The leaves on top will be dark green, have some life and will not be blackened. The bulb at the base of the leek should be very pale or white and healthy looking. Yellow or brown tints and dark spots indicate some problem and leeks should be avoided if possible.
The texture of the leeks should also be considered. The leaves should be sturdy and strong; they shouldn’t be thin, shriveled, full of holes, or sagging. The white part of the leek should feel firm to the touch and not too slimy while not being so dry that the skin begins to peel. If the roots at the bottom of the bulb are very brittle or black, then it may be an indication that the leek has been sitting for a long time or has been mishandled.
During the two times of year that leeks are in season, they are usually of different sizes. Spring leeks tend to be smaller and thinner than those harvested in the fall. When choosing a leek, it is generally best to have a medium sized plant. Larger leeks tend to develop very fibrous cores the longer they are allowed to grow. A general rule of thumb is to avoid a leek that measures over 1.5 inches (about 4 centimeters) wide, because it will have a very tough center.
If more than one leek is being purchased, selecting leeks of similar size may help. This can help all pieces of a recipe cook at the same speed, ensuring nothing burns or stays raw. Likewise, you should be aware that most recipes call for only the white part of the leek, so it may take several stalks to have enough whites to harvest the required amount of leek.
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