How to Cut a Leek

Allum Porrum, or Leeks, are my new-found friends.

You know leeks?  The things that look like giant green onions at the grocery store?

What do they taste like? Like a mild onion and they are delicious to use as you would any in any savory dish you’d use an onion and garlic in.

These stalky plants are encouraged to grow longer and thinner instead of forming a bulb bythe grower  pushing dirt around the stalks, however, so you have to make sure and clean them properly before using.

Cuz they’re full of gritty sand between their layers…but this is not difficult to do.

Take one of your leeks and lop off about 1/4 inch across the root end and discard the root.

We don’t like to eat roots ya know.  They’re kind of gross.

Now slice down the length of the white end of the leek.

The dark green isn’t good for much. It’s bitter and tough, unless it’s a baby leek and then it can be tender.  The light green is generally okay to eat as well.

Now turn your leek a quarter turn and slice it again down lengthwise.

Then turn the whole thing ninety degrees and start to slice thinly across your the cuts you’ve made.

Stop when you get to the dark green..it’s bitter and tough, remember?

At this point you could put them in a bowl of water, then drain them in a colander to get the grit off.

Or you could put them into a salad spinner afterward…which works really well.

And then …cook away my dears! You have just cleaned leeks!

I used these to make a yummy Tomato Bisque, which I’ll be posting soon..and a Tomato package giveaway will be following!

Have you used leeks?  How do you like to fix them? Leave me a comment below and tell me!