How To Wash and Prepare Leeks

Difficulty level: Easy

Leeks are a wonderful vegetable, but they required a fair amount of preparation before they can be used. Here are some tips on washing and preparing leeks.
 

• Cut off the fibrous root
• If the dark-green outer leaves are very tough and/or spotty, remove them
• Trim the ends of the remaining leaves
• Cut the leek in half length-wise, then slice or chop
• Place in a bowl of warm water and swirl around to help the dirt fall to the bottom
• Take the leeks out, place in a colander, and rinse again. Don't just pour them into the colander as the dirt at the bottom of the bowl might get trapped in the leaves again.
   

Cooking with Leeks

Many recipes call for just the "white parts" of leeks, when in fact the light green is just as good and even the dark green is usable if it will be sautéed for at least 5 minutes or so. I nearly always use all three parts in my recipes.
 

More Cooking Tips and Techniques

 
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