Leeks

Dee was so great at sharing her experiences with fresh produce and I am fortunate to still benefit from her wealth of knowledge.  I enjoy reading prior Dee’s Corner notes for any helpful hints from past seasons and since Leeks are making an appearance in this week’s box, I thought I’d share this:

Are leeks a new vegetable for some of you? Even though they look like a giant onion, they do not have a strong onion taste. In fact, they have a rather sweet mild taste, which becomes more noticeable when they are grilled. I totally understand if you find these somewhat challenging to clean. Believe me, it took me some time to figure out how to do this! And I ate my share of grit until I learned. When cutting them, remember to use the white parts and tender light green parts only. Discard the tougher dark green end. Rinse the leek under running water. Cut it lengthwise, and then cut it crosswise, into half circles. Place these into a bowl of water, swishing the cut pieces around as the bowl is filling. Drain into a strainer. As you do, you’ll notice some sand. Repeat this a couple of times, until you don’t see any more sand or silt, just shiny green/white leeks. Now they’re ready for your recipes!

Enjoy week 9!