By Kathleen Yetman
The leek is a cultivar of Allium ampeloprasum that has been grown for its edible leaves for millennia. Dried specimens and wall drawings and carvings of leeks in excavated Ancient Egyptian sites show that the leek was a popular vegetable there as far back as the second millennium B.C.E. It is closely related to elephant garlic and shares a genus with onions and garlic. While the mature leek appears to be a stem due to its length and shape, it is actually the leaves that grow so tightly together that they create the long stalk.
Leeks can be grown year-round here in Yavapai County. They are generally planted in late winter and throughout the spring and can be left in the ground during the winter, allowing for a continual harvest. Leeks prefer well-draining soil. The edible part of the leaves is the white part that grows beneath the soil. Farmers can increase the length of the edible part by adding soil to the base as the leek grows. Sometimes soil gets caught between the leaves. In order to clean it, slice the leek lengthwise once and run each half under water before cooking.
Leeks. Photo by Kathleen Yetman.
Nutritionally, leeks are similar to garlic and onions — i.e. they support cardiovascular health and acting as anti-inflammatories. The leek is a versatile vegetable that can be cooked as a substitute for onions. Raw leeks are crunchy and firm; when cooked, they have a slightly sweet, delicate flavor. The leek lends itself well to vegetable stocks and soups. Most people are familiar with leeks only in vichyssoise, cock-a-leekie, and potato leek soups. Alternative ways of preparing leeks include roasting, boiling, sautéing, and grilling. They are a tasty addition to quiches and pastas and go well with dishes featuring potatoes, squash and/or hard cheese. Leeks are a superb pizza topping if chopped into coins and briefly sautéed ahead of time. Winter is the best time to experiment with this unique vegetable, while other onions are not fresh from the field.
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The Prescott Winter Market is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through April 29 at the Yavapai Regional Medical Center Pendleton Center parking lot, 930 Division St. The Prescott Valley Market is 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays through April 25 at the Harkins Theatres parking lot, at Glassford Hill Road and Park Avenue.
Kathleen Yetman is the managing director of the Prescott Farmers Market and a native of Prescott.