Years ago, I was very stand-of-ish with leeks, as I didn’t quite understand them. What I failed to realize back then is that they’re pretty much just big, fat scallions, and thinking of them this way made them a lot less intimidating. They have a mild, sweet, onion flavor when sautéed, and pair really well with eggs (try adding sautéed leeks to an omelette or frittata), are great in soups/stir fries, or as a topping for home-made pizza. You can really use them any way you’d use regular onions. Interestingly enough, my daughter will not go near an onion (unless it’s pureed and visually undetectable), but likes leeks. Go figure.
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DIRECTIONS:
- Trim and discard the stem ends, dark green tops, and tough outer leaves.
- Halve the remaining core, lengthwise.
- While holding under cool running water, gently spread apart (but do not separate) the inner layers to remove all traces of soil. If the leeks are particularly dirty, you can soak them in several changes of clean water if that’s easier.
- Shake off excess water and slice the cleaned leeks crosswise to desired thickness.
- Saute in butter or coconut oil and use as you would onions.
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Denise Thaller
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Diane Schnier
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