After a long winter, the spring farmers market is a breath of fresh air for food lovers. Even the most ardent lover of root vegetables is at least a little excited to see the bunches of delicate and flavorful ingredients that hint at more sunshine to come. Yes, there are flowers and herbs for your own garden, but there is also a bounty of seasonal produce that has an almost cultlike following. We’re talking about morels, fiddlehead ferns, ramps and, of course, leeks. Read on to learn more about leeks, or jump straight to the leek recipe.
Leeks may be best known as a component in a silky potato leek soup, but their light flavor oftentimes gets buried in the soup’s other flavors. So, if you want to highlight the leek in all its mild, sweet slightly onion-flavored glory, it’s best to prepare it simply. And in the final cool-ish days of the year, that means it’s time to turn on your oven and get to braising.
What Are Leeks?
Like garlic, ramps, shallots, onions, scallions and chives, leeks are members of the allium family. As such, their taste is reminiscent of those other ingredients but a bit milder. Native to Central Asia but now used around the globe, leeks are now available in the US yearround — but are at their peak in spring and fall.
