Vegetable of the month: Leeks!

After seeing many people at the supermarkets here purchasing this lovely green and white vegetable, I decided that I needed to try them. They are a vegetable I had seen often, but I had never eaten it before. Recently I have started cooking more with them as they are plentiful here and inexpensive.

Leeks are in the same family with onions, garlic, scallions, and shallots. They have a mild onion flavor and won't overpower a dish. They are a good source of many nutrients such as: Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Folate, and Vitamin B6.

Leeks are easy to prepare and cook! The leeks I buy already have the long green fibrous leaves removed. All I have to do it trim the ends and wash them well. Sometimes they tend to have a small amount of dirt near the top of the vegetable. I typically make soup with leeks. They can also be added to a stock, braised with meat, or simply sauteed.

I encourage you to try leeks! They are easy to cook, have a great flavor, and are a good source of nutrients.

Click here for my recipe for leek and potato soup! Please share your favorite ways to eat leeks.

Leek and Potato Soup

Potato and leek soup

I had never eaten leeks prior to eating leek and potato soup at a restaurant recently. I loved it so much that I came up with this recipe. It tastes slightly indulgent and is filling without being a calorie bomb. 

Ingredients:

2.2 lbs of potatoes- rinsed, peeled, and sliced.

1 large yellow onion or 2 medium onions- chopped

3 medium leeks- trimmed, rinsed, halved, and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces.

2 TBS olive oil

6 cups broth

pepper to taste

1 TBS rosemary

1/2 cup chopped smoked ham (optional)

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil, onions, leeks, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and the leeks have cooked down some. Next add the broth and potatoes. If you are adding and ham or bacon then add it here too. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce heat until potatoes are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Next blend the soup well using a blender or a immersion blender. Now the soup is ready to eat!

Other ideas:

-Add other vegetables. I had some broccoli that needed to be used and so I chopped it up and added it with the potatoes. 

- Top with lowfat sour cream or shaved cheese.

Potato, leek, and broccoli soup