Leeks are a truly versatile vegetable. They have a milder, sweeter flavour than onions and a smooth texture similar to asparagus. In fact, in France leeks are often called the 'poor man's asparagus'.

Cooking Leeks

Leeks can be cooked in all sorts of different and delicious ways including:

Pan fried - heat a small amount of olive oil and butter in a frying pan, add some sliced leeks and gently cook for about 5-10 minutes until tender

Sautéed - for super healthy leeks, sauté with fennel and garnish with fresh lemon juice and thyme

Stir fried - heat a little oil over a high heat in a frying pan or wok, add some prepared leeks and stir fry for a few minutes

Baked - place some sliced leeks in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle with cheese or cover with white sauce and bake for 30-40 minutes at 190°C

Roasted - pour some olive oil into a roasting tray and add leeks, making sure they are coated all over. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and roast in the oven (210°C) for 30 minutes

Braised - pour a small amount of chicken or vegetable stock into a frying pan, add some prepared, sliced leeks, cover and gently cook for 10-15 minutes. Braised leeks dusted with fennel or mustard seeds are a delicious accompaniment to fish, poultry or steak

Raw - spice up a salad by adding finely chopped leeks and dress generously with vinaigrette

Leeks make a fantastically flavoursome vegetable side dish. Equally, they work wonderfully in a wide variety of recipes such as casseroles, omelettes and frittatas, risottos, quiches, pasta sauces and soups.

Food preparation - Take the following basic precautions when preparing raw foods.
Leek and Oat Savoury Pancakes