Leeks
Leeks are mild, sweet alliums that add depth to soups, gratins, and braises. Learn how to clean, store, and cook these elegant onion cousins.
Storage
Store unwashed in the fridge and don't trim until you're ready to cook. A dried outer leaf or two actually helps protect the inner leaves from drying out, so leave them be—just pull off anything that turns slimy as you go.
Keeps For
Fresh off the farm, leeks keep at least a month, often several. You may lose an outer leaf or two over that time; keep removing anything slimy and the rest holds beautifully. If you're not sure how old your leeks are (say, from a store), use them within a couple of weeks.
Flavor Profile
Milder and sweeter than onions, with a subtle buttery quality when cooked. The white and light green parts are tender and silky when braised or sauteed. Unlike onions or scallions, most people prefer leeks cooked—raw they can be a little tough, with a sharp onion bite that mellows completely with heat. If you do want them raw, slice them very thinly. Overwintered leeks—left in the ground through the cold—are the prized ones: the cold builds real sweetness and a fuller, deeper flavor.
How to Prep
To clean, cut the leek in half lengthwise, fan out the layers, and run them lightly under water. Ours are relatively easy to clean—you may have heard leeks are notoriously sandy, but that's mostly the California ones; our soils here aren't especially sandy. Always glance into the folds for any slugs or insects that have tucked away inside. And don't toss the green tops on reflex—they run a little tougher than the bottoms, but the tender ones are well worth using.
Ways to Cook
- 1 Simmer with potatoes for classic potato-leek soup
- 2 Braise in butter and stock until silky and tender
- 3 Layer in a gratin with cream and cheese
- 4 Caramelize slowly for a sweet topping for tarts or pizza
- 5 Add to quiche or frittata in place of onions
- 6 Grill whole leeks until charred and serve with romesco
- 7 Dice tender green tops fine, like chives, and stir into almost anything
- 8 Save tougher tops in a freezer bag for your next batch of stock
Pairs Well With
Good to Know
Check the green tops before deciding what to do with them—we always lean toward trying them. Usually they're perfectly tender and worth eating; once in a while they're too tough, and those are the ones to stash in a freezer bag for stock.
Did You Know?
Leeks are the national symbol of Wales, worn on St. David's Day. Legend says Welsh soldiers wore leeks in their hats during battle to distinguish themselves from their enemies.