Leeks are one of my favorite foods. Sauteed over low heat for 20 minutes with nothing but a bit of butter and salt, they turn into “leek confit” - something so delicious deserves an impressive french name right? But I don’t know too many people (other than food bloggers) who make leeks regularly, regardless of how inexpensive, easy and delicious they might be. And I think this is because they are intimidating. They’re dirty - clumps of earth falling out of the stems and roots, it just looks like it’s going to be too much work. But after a little trial and error, I can clean up leeks as fast as mincing garlic. I’ll share a few of the key pointers I learned the hard way, so you can start enjoying leeks right away without any of the crunchy clay experience!
The edible parts of leeks are the white and light green parts of the stem - you don’t eat those tough dark green leaves on the end. Start by lopping off the top halves, and the little root ends.
Slice them lengthwise. See all that dirt? We’ve got to get rid of every last speck.
Place the leek spears in a colander. Use your fingers to pry apart the leaves to get major clumps out (kind of fan them out under the water), but keep the spears together for chopping.
They might look clean, but there’s still dirt caught in between the layers. I’ll show you.
Put the leek spears back on the cutting board, and, starting at the white root end, slice crosswise in 1/2 inch pieces.
When you start getting into the green leaves, there’s still some edible light green and white tender parts underneath.
Just peel off the darker green leaves of this segment and throw them away, keeping the good stuff. (The dark green leaves on the left are what I’ll throw away - the rest is keep-able.) Chop the rest.
Fill a large bowl with cold water. Put all the leek slices in the bowl. Press them down with your hands, shaking them around under the water, kind of like you’re washing a sink-full of delicates in woolite. Allow to sit for a few minutes so the dirt particles sink to the bottom of the bowl (the leek slices float).
Now here’s the kicker. To drain the leeks, don’t just dump the bowl into the colander. If you do that, the dirt will just get mixed back into the leeks. Grab handfuls of the leek slices and transfer them from the bowl to the colander. Give them one extra rinse with the sink sprayer for good measure, then they’re ready to cook.
Here’s the dirt left in the bottom of the bowl, if you need proof.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use leeks:
