LEEKS
Leeks are a creamier version of onions with a less pungent flavor. They’re great blended into soups, roasted with potatoes and other roots, or grilled in rounds. Most people don’t use the greens because they are tougher than the white part. However, because they are such a substantial part of the plant and we put a lot of time into growing them, we do use them with carrot greens to flavor our veggie or chicken stocks, straining them out before we add the actual ingredients. Cutting them in thin slices is the best way to prepare them. Pro-tip: if you cut leeks lengthwise first, you’ll be able to see any remaining dirt on the inside and they will be easy to wash. Added bonus - they won’t roll off your cutting board as you cut them into smaller pieces.
STORAGE: Store in a closed container or in a plastic bag in the fridge. Leeks should last for 2-3 weeks.
PRESERVATION: Cut and freeze.
RECIPES:
Leek and Potato Soup
1.5 pound potatoes (we gave you this amount of potatoes-cut into small pieces)
2 leeks (cut into 1/4 half moons)
3-6 cloves garlic (minced)
2-4 ribs celery (cut in 1/4 in pieces)
6 c broth (any kind-we used chicken from last year’s laying hens)
1/4 c butter or olive oil
dried thyme, oregano, whatever ya got
chili flakes as garnish (optional we like to balance the creaminess with a little heat)
1/2 c milk or cream (optional- we did not have on hand for this recipe and it was still great)
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a large or medium sized to medium. Add butter or oil and then leeks. Salt and cover, stirring often. After about 5 minutes, once the leeks begin to sweat, add celery, potatoes, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes with a cover on. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add herbs and whatever spices you’re feeling. Simmer with a lid slightly vented for about 20-30 minutes. When the potatoes and celery are soft, blend the soup with an immersion blender. Taste and add salt. This is when you would add the milk.
Village Stew
2-3 leeks (cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
3-4 cloves garlic (peeled and minced or grated)
2-3 potatoes (cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes)
3-5 parsnips (cut into 1/2 inch rounds)
6-10 turnips (quartered, save the greens for the soup!)
1-2 peppers (sliced)
1 can tomato sauce or a few diced tomatoes
4-6 leaves kale (de-stemmed and chopped into bite size pieces)
Turnip greens (cut like the kale)
1 can cooked kidney beans (or pre-cooked dried beans)
Any type of uncooked noodles (if desired)
6-8 C veggie or chicken broth
3 T olive oil or butter
Salt to taste (2 t most likely)
In a large stock pot, add olive oil or butter and turn on medium low. Add leeks and garlic, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cover and let sweat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring if necessary. Add broth. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, boil water, cooking the noodles separately. (You can just add the dry noodles to the soup, but we like to cook them separately so that we can cook them to the perfect texture and then rinse them with cold water to avoid mushy noodles in the entire soup) . When the liquid comes to a boil, uncover, add potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer. After a few minutes, add peppers, parsnips, and turnips. When the potatoes have begun to soften, add tomato sauce, kidney beans, chopped kale, and turnip greens. Stir and let cook for 2-3 more minutes, just to soften the greens. Taste while you are cooking; you might need to add more salt. When serving, put noodles in bowl first, and top with soup.