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Leeks, related to onions, need to be thoroughly cleaned before cooking due to dirt between the layers. They can be stir-fried, boiled, roasted, or used in soups and stews. To clean, cut in half and wash under running water or in a bowl of water. They can be sautéed, roasted, or used in various recipes.
Leeks, a member of the allium family of plants, are closely related to onions and can be cooked in the same way. Unlike onions, however, leeks need to be thoroughly cleaned before cooking because a good deal of grit or dirt is usually present between the layers of leaves, no matter how or where it was grown. There are many ways to cook leeks, and the vegetable itself is versatile, lends itself well to stir-frying, braising, boiling in soups or stocks, or roasting in the oven. Leeks can be used as a substitute for onions or as part of a mirepoix, or they can be cooked and served as a side vegetable on their own. You can also simmer the leeks until they caramelize for a rich, developed flavor.
Before attempting to cook leeks, it’s important to clean them. This is done by cutting the leeks lengthwise in half to expose the different layers and then cleaning each layer under running water or placing the leeks in a bowl of cold water. In a bowl, the sand and dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl while the leeks will float to the top. The fibrous, deep green leaves of the leeks should be removed, although they can be used as flavoring in stock.
An easy way to cook leeks is to cut the pale parts of a leek into small pieces and place them in a hot pan with butter or olive oil. The leeks can then be sauteed over medium heat until, like an onion, they are sweaty, meaning they are soft, shiny from the moisture in the pan, and a little translucent on the surface. Sauteed leeks can be served as is or included in other dishes as an accent near the end of cooking.
Using in soups, stocks or stews is an effective way to cook leeks to extract most of the flavor they contain. A classic soup, known as vichyssoise, is made with milk or cream, potatoes and leeks which are cooked together and allowed to cool, while the soup is served cold. The flavor of leeks also tends well with creamy soups or soups that are made with cheese.
Leeks can also be roasted in an oven. As the leeks cook, they begin to caramelize and concentrate their flavor into soft, golden areas. This can be done by placing the halved leeks on a baking sheet and coating them lightly with oil and a little salt, then placing them in an oven until lightly browned and tender.
There are many ways to cook leeks and many recipes that specifically call for them. Leek and goat cheese tarts, ham and cheese with leek soup, leek frittatas, and leeks braised in chicken, garlic, and mustard stock are all common ways to cook leeks. They can also be used in almost any recipe that calls for onions and can be a good accompaniment to shallot or garlic dishes.
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