I’ve never cooked with leeks nor did I ever feel the need to. But since joining Farm Fresh Delivery, I have been receiving a package of assorted fruits and vegetables every other week, pleasantly forcing me to get to know and experiment with new types of produce – specifically LEEKS!

At first, I had no idea what to do them. They looked and smelled like overgrown green onions, and you know what, I was partly right! It turns out that leeks belong to the Allium vegetable family, the group where garlic and onions also belong to. After learning this information from the gold old internet, I started using leeks similar to the way I use onions and garlic – almost in every dish that requires sautéing. After all, its nutritional value is kick ass:

• Leeks contain important amounts of the flavonoid, kaempferol, which helps to protect blood vessel linings from damage.
• They are great for your heart! Its concentration of folate (especially in the bulb) helps keep our levels of homocysteine in proper balance, as high levels of it puts us at risk for cardiovascular disease.
• Leeks have high concentrations of polyphenols, an antioxidant that protects our blood vessels and blood cells from oxidative damage, which lead to cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
• So don’t let these overgrown green onions intimidate you. In fact, they make for a great soup that is sure to comfort you during these cold months. Below is a recipe for my leeks and potato soup.

Ingredients (use this as a guideline. adjust to your liking)

• olive oil
• 3 bunches of leeks (cleaned and
• 2 medium carrots (small dice)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 medium potatoes (dice)
• thyme or any other herbs and spice you like
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1.5-2 cups of veggie broth
• 1/3 cup of cream
• chives
• Optional: bacon or pancetta

Instructions

• Optional: cook bacon or pancetta till crispy. Take out and leave for later. Keep the oil in the pot and use that for the next step. 
•  Sautee leeks for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for about 2 mins
•  Add potatoes and carrots and sauté for about 3 minutes
•  Add herbs, spices, salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes
•  Add chicken broth and let it come to a boil.
•  Simmer for 20 mins.
•  Take 70% of the soup mix and put in blender or food processor to blend.
•  Put back in the pot and add the cream. Simmer for 15-20 mins. Simmer more according to your liking.
• Optional: Add cooked bacon or pancetta
•  Continue to add salt and pepper to taste.
•  Add lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice right at the end.
•  Top with chives
•  Serve with garlic bread or grilled cheese and salad.

 

Enjoy! =)

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