Leeks belong to the Alliaceae family, and are available in Australia nearly all year round. In winter they are at their best, making them a welcome addition to many warming winter dishes. Also in this vegetable family are onions, garlics, elephant (russian) garlic and spring onions. Leeks feature in traditional dishes from many countries, especially Wales, and have been cultivated for domestic use since Roman times.
When choosing leeks, look for firm stems that are tight and bright white. The sweetest leeks are small baby leeks, although older, larger leeks become sweet with slow cooking. Generally, the white stem and some of the pale green area is used, with the darker, tougher green parts of the top being discarded, or reserved for making vegetable stock.
Leeks can be prepared in many ways, and bring a lovely rich sweetness to savoury dishes. Remove the outer skin layer, if necessary, then wash away any earth that remains. As leeks are grown with the earth mounded up around them (thus allowing the white stem to stay white, away from sunlight), they are sometimes prone to grit and can be tricky to clean. Slicing the leek length ways from the top a short way allows you to easily clean away any dirt.
Some ideas for cooking leeks:
Chop leeks and saute in a heavy pot with some strong extra virgin olive oil. Keep the heat low and allow the leeks to sweat. When soft and silky, add some sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and some chopped parsley and a knob of organic butter. Great with mashed potatoes and grilled sausages.
Wash leeks and lay into baking dish, underneath a roast, – both the leeks and the meat will benefit in flavour. Baby leeks are ideal here, or use larger leeks that have been cut lengthwise, and placed round side down.
Caramalise leeks in a heavy based pan, by slowly cooking for 25 minutes with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar, allow to absorb then take off the heat. Serve with some strong goats cheese on toasted Organic sourdough.