Kitchen Basics: Prepping Leeks

Leeks don't seem to be all that popular in the US, but they are without a doubt my favorite onion. It may be because my Matthews family has Welsh origins. I also love daffodils, what can I say? Most prep cooks who came through my restaurant kitchen had never worked with them, which is a shame, because they are so delicious. I also noticed when I would perform demos for the general public, many of the attendees would voice trepidation about working with leeks. And that fear was preventing them from trying one of the most delicious vegetables on the planet.

There is nothing to fear about working with leeks. There are just two simple issues to contend with. First, the white part of leeks grows completely below the ground and therefore leeks are susceptible to being dirty. It doesn't help that to promote the growth of long, straight leeks, they are often grown in sandy soil. The second issue is that the green part of the leek can be tough and fibrous and while delicious and flavorful, not all that pleasant to eat.

This is a case when a series of pictures is so much more useful than a raft of words. Below is a step-by-step tutorial for one method of prepping leeks. There are many other ways, but I find this method the easiest for most people for most uses of leeks. If you want whole leeks for braising, raw disks for salads, or want to fry your leeks, this post is not for you.

One other caveat. Many people would have you cut off and use just the white part of the leek. I believe that this is a remnant from classic French cuisine in which chefs did not want any green coloration to a white sauce including leeks. I don't know this for sure, but in any case, the notion that only the white part is useful is outdated. As you will read, the entire leek is useful.

Let's get our prep on.

A Leek from the Farmers Market

Peel the Tough Outer Layer

Tear off Any Tough Parts

Split the Leek Leaving the Root End Intact

Chop the Leek and Wash Well in a Bowl of Water

Recap

The outer layer of the leek, including the white part is likely to be tough. Peel it down and remove it. In smaller leeks, the outer layer may be OK. If you can rip it with your fingers, it is tender enough. 

Peel each consecutive leaf layer down towards the root end. At the point where the leaf becomes tender, tear it off. Each successive layer will become tender higher up on the leek. The center leaves will probably be tender all the way to the end.

Wash the discarded leek leaves and save them in the freezer for the next time you make stock. They are a wonderful addition to stock and deserve to be used before composting.

Working from the root end, slice the leek vertically from about a centimeter from the bottom all the way to the top. Rotate the leek and slice again as many times as you need to. A small leek can be quartered. Medium leeks, I slice into sixths, and giant leeks into eigths.

At this point, give the leek a quick rinse in running water, holding the root end up such that any dirt is washed out and not down into the leek.

Slice the leek horizontally and put the sliced pieces in a bowl of cold water. They will float. Agitate them well with your hands and leave them to stand long enough for any dirt and grit to fall to the bottom.

Scoop the clean leek pieces off the top of the water. They're ready to use.