Don’t Toss Your Leek Greens
I feel like leeks just don’t get the attention they deserve. It’s always, onion, onion, onion. Sometimes when I talk about leeks, people don’t even know what they are. So, I figured I would write a little post about this great veggie that should be in everyone’s garden. Leeks have a more delicate and sweet flavor than onions. Think onion, but pleasant and mild, not sharp or spicy at all. They grow tall and cylindrical with long leafy tops, kinda like a veggie version of a mini little palm or tropical tree. Leeks are in the Allium family, but do not have a bulb like onion, shallots or garlic. The long cylindrical stem is actually concentric layers of overlapping leaves. Most every recipe will say to eat the white and light green part of the stalk, and toss the dark green leaves, but I tend to disagree. More on that later.
Growing leeks is super easy. They really don’t require much care other than hilling up some soil every so often as they grow. Leeks should be planted in deep trenches. I usually do about 6-8 inches down. As they grow, fill in the soil. Eventually it will be level with the top of the bed, but up you can still hill it around the leeks if you want them taller. The goal is to keep the lower part of the stalk out of sunlight so that it stays white and sweet. Otherwise the stalks will turn green due to photosynthesis.
Leeks are good sources of soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamin-A, C, K, E, B6, and folate, as well as the minerals iron and manganese. Leeks also contain flavonoid phenolic antioxidants, like carotene, kaempferol, zeaxanthin, and lutein. They will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks, loosely wrapped in beeswax paper and you can eat the whole plant. Yes, even the greens. Wait, did I really say that?!?
Recipes with leeks typically call for you to cut the root end off and cut the dark green top off, using only the white and light green section and discarding the rest. Cutting is either in thin slices (making discs or circles shapes) or lengthwise in a thin short julienne (think matchsticks). You can eat them raw in salads, sautéed in a stir fry, baked in quiches, simmered in soups and sauces, or even cooked and pureed in a leek and potato soup, yum! OK, OK, but what about the greens I keep mentioning, right?
The greens are typically described as tough and bitter, but the reality is, we eat plenty of other veggies that are tough or bitter until cooked (think collards, mustard greens, beet tops, and even kale). How about a potato? No one ever eats them until they’re cooked and softened. So why give leek greens a bad rap? You may even find that many grocery stores actually trim the greens right off. That’s a sin when you’re paying so much per pound, since they are more expensive to buy than onions. Another reason to grow your own leeks!
To use the greens, you can add them as is to soups for flavor and then remove after cooking. They can be frozen and used for stock as you need them. Another option is to cut them in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices and sauté in butter or olive oil until softened and then add to recipes for a milder onion flavor. You can also add the leek greens to a bamboo steamer to impart flavor on whatever you’re steaming. I’ve even heard of people deep frying long strips of greens, then crumbling and using them like bacon bits on top of salads. Something I haven’t yet tried. Geezsh! With so many options, why is everyone telling you to throw them away? Ugh! Give leek greens a chance!
If you want to make them solely as a side dish, try them with olive oil, butter, garlic, chicken or vegetable stock, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and lemon juice. I take about 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil per 3 leeks chopped greens. Melt butter and oil in a pan, add 1-2 cloves crushed garlic and sauté a minute or two until until the aromas come out. Add the chopped leek greens. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes until they start to tenderize. Add 1/2-3/4 cup stock, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the stock has reduced to the point that there’s still a little “sauce” that is remaining when you drag a wooden spoon through the leeks in your pan. This is the time to add some chili flakes if you want to spice it up. Stir for another minute or so to let the flakes soften and impart some flavor. When finished, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top, stir one last time and serve.
Now that you have a reason to stop tossing out your leek greens, you’re going to love this little tidbit! Did you know that you can regrow leek greens in your window? That’s right! Just take the cut off root end, stick it in a small bowl of water and let it grow. You can keep regrowing your greens anytime of the year!
I hope I’ve given you plenty of reasons to stop throwing leek greens out. Leeks are really great to grow because they take little effort and you can harvest when young and small or tall and mature. I like to just harvest what I need for a recipe and leave the rest to keep growing. That way, they never go to waste and I always have fresh leeks. As long as you keep hilling them up as they grow, you’re good. Try planting in succession as well. Plant every 2-3 weeks to ensure a long harvest. They’ll grow all through the season. If you’re new to leeks, I’d love to hear what you think after you’ve given them a try.
Until next time…
Dream Big, Plant Love, and Grow Where You’re Planted
XOXO - Laurie