How to prep (and use) leeks
December 19th, 2006
Leeks are underappreciated and underused. Their flavor is mellow, complex and more subtle than other members of the onion family, and they go tender and silky when cooked.
They’re known for their role in potato and cream-based soups (like vichyssoise) and in winter stews. They’re delicious raw and sliced thin in salads, stir-fried with beef (or anything, for that matter), simmered in water and served hot or cold with a vinaigrette, braised whole in wine or stock, or brought in anywhere you’d use an onion.
Leeks are dirty. They grow up building layers that trap the sandy soil mounded around them to keep them straight and white. So whether you’re keeping them whole or slicing them thin, clean them really well. A sandy dinner is a deal-breaker. Here’s one approach:
Cut off the tough dark green leaves an inch or two above the white part of the stalk. Save those leaves for stocks or broths.
Cut off the root right where it joins the white base, keeping enough fibrous material to hold the leek together.
Cut away and toss the coarse outer layer of green, exposing the tender green you can use.
Cut the leek in half lengthwise, either all the way through the end, or just below the end if you want to cook it whole (tied together with kitchen twine).
Swish the leek around under water, using your fingers to pull apart the layers. Look through each layer to be sure you find all the sand. This works under running water too.
Now just slice the leek crossways as thick or thin as you like. This is best for dishes like soups and stews where the leek will disappear into the dish. The longer the cooking time, the thicker the slice.
Or slice them lengthwise as thick or thin as you like. I like this cut for stir-fries.
If this is too much, you can take the short cut. Just prep them, sand and all, rinse them well in a colander submerged in a bowl of cold water, then pat them dry.
Now that you know how to prep them, try some of the delicious leek recipes at Cookthink.com.
December 19th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
leeks are great, I live in Japan and they are used all over the place here. Try dicing ‘em real small then sprinkling them on some chilled tofu, drizzle with soy sauce and shredded ginger.
December 19th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
Leeks are so underrated (at least in my kitchen). I really want to cook with them more, so thanks for this reminder. =)
December 20th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
Thanks a lot for the suggestion anonymous, that makes perfect sense. I hadn’t thought of using them in place of green onions but that sounds delicious. I can see how their mild flavor would work great raw in soups.
December 20th, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Glad you found it useful Amanda. They’ve been underused in my kitchen, too.
December 22nd, 2006 at 12:02 pm
I love leeks, and just made a potato-leek soup two days ago. I cleaned by trimming off the tough green end, but leaving the root end attached, quartering lengthwise until about midway through the white part; then swishing in a bowl of water, fanning the leek with my fingers. (For a large amount of leeks you need to change the water in the bowl a couple of times.) Then I cut off the root end and chopped.
January 20th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Thank -you so much I have been looking for a good leek website and yours is great.
April 12th, 2007 at 9:58 am
[…] I posted on how to prep leeks last year. But after testing recipes for this week’s root source, I wanted to focus on two forms of leek prep: cut in half (for grilling and braising), and sliced (for soups, stews, and stir-frys). […]
October 27th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Awesome! This is Leek 101! Thanks for this. Beautiful pics.
December 16th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Really nice. I accidentally purchase leeks instead of spring onions. And I was confuse on how to cut them. This website helped. Thank you very much!
January 1st, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Thank you so much for this demo, it is really helpful!
January 1st, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Glad this has been so helpful. Let us know what other “how to’s” would be helpful for you in the kitchen!
October 9th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Thank you so much for the information! So helpful! I have been making a leek, potato, and carrot soup that I end up using an immersion blender before adding cream. But I definitely want to try the stir fry ideas!
October 31st, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Thanks so much! I would have really messed up a soup I’m about to make if I hadn’t read this…..I figured I used the green parts at the top, and I wouldn’t have known to rinse them so well. Much appreciated!!
December 29th, 2008 at 12:24 am
THANK YOU! I have really gotten into cooking receintly and found many recipes calling for leeks. I had no idea what they were. Now that I have seen this I’m glad I didn’t try to figure it out on my own…it would have been a very gritty meal. Or knowing me, I would have tried to cook the big fat green parts. LOL!
February 18th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
I was stuck on a recipe, I never cooked with leeks. Your fabulous blog - with great photos - saved the day !
February 22nd, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Thank you for the much valued info on leeks. Mystery unravelled.
June 13th, 2009 at 2:58 am
I bought leeks for the dish that I am just about to make, but I didn’t know how to clean them; your information has helped me. Thank you!
June 21st, 2009 at 12:59 am
Great forum. Thanks for the info. I bought them because my friend told me to use them for a Venezuelan salsa recipe, and really did not know how to use them. LOL