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Leeks!

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TasunkaWitko View Drop Down
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    Posted: 15 October 2010 at 15:11

I was in the produce aisle quite recently and spotted something I had heard about often but had never tried: the humble leek. I was intrigued with what I saw and tossed three of them into the shopping cart purely on impulse, thinking that they might go in a soup or something over the weekend. It was only after we left the store that the beautiful (and practical) Mrs. Tas saw what I had failed to notice: that the leeks were 2.48$ apiece, for a total of 7.44$! I do not know if this is a "normal" price or not - Time/Life's Foods of the World - the Cooking of Provincial France states that the leek is so common there that they are referred to as "the asparagus of the poor" -  however, Mrs. Tas (and I, to a milder extent) was shocked at the thought of paying so much for what looked like oversized scallions.

Due to such a reaction, I quickly (and probably accurately) surmised that I won't be buying leeks again soon, if ever; I may try to grow them in our garden next year, but buying them at that price will not be an option again. Because of this, I decided that I wanted to do something special with these leeks, so I naturally consulted some of my European volumes of the Foods of the World series. There were a few odd recipes here and there across the continent that contained leeks as a minor ingredient, but I was instead looking for a recipe that featured leeks as a major component and showcased their unique qualities, and eventually found two: one in provincial France (potage Parmentier), and one on Scandinavia - Sweden, to be exact (Färsrullader).

For those who don't know, here's what leeks look like - this picture was used when preparing the Färsrullader:
 
 
Armed with these discoveries, I set out to prepare an evening meal devoted to the leek, and I believe that I succeeded very well. Our children (including a visiting friend of one of our boys who had lingered around for supper) were all impressed with the results and liked both dishes, but Mrs. Tas remained very skeptical, which, combined with her already-negative feelings toward the vegetable, resulted in a very lackluster reception. For myself, I thought both dishes were outstanding and could only have been possible with the usage of this interesting member of the onion family.

Were they worth the price, which may or may not have been exorbitant? I think so; but then again, I am a great fan of sticking to the original, and both these recipes seem to be well-regarded in their respective home countries. For someone not so dedicated to the goal of regional and historical accuracy, onions could probably have been substituted just as well with no ill effects, but my opinion is that only leeks could give that subtle aroma, somewhere between onions and celery, that truly launches their otherwise bland flavour into the realm of fine dining.

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jdonly1 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdonly1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 October 2010 at 16:16
When I had the bakery I used to make a chicken and leek pie,mate it was greatThumbs Up
Im also quite partial to potato and leek soup
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 October 2010 at 16:19
that chicken and leek pie does sound good. i am a new-born believer in the leek! if you make the resipe again someitme, be sure to post it!
 
take a look at the potage Parmentier recipe when you get the chance. I thought this was a real winner, and it is probably very similar to the one you enjoy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 October 2010 at 16:32
Two fourty eight apiece is criminal action, highway robbery. Somebody had to have mispriced that. Two fourty eight for a bunch of four to six leeks is more like it. I think this past summer leeks were going for 2.29 a bunch of four, and they were big ones. Glad you put them to good use though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 October 2010 at 16:49
john, your comment above jarred my memory - while we were checking out at the grocery, the "band" that had tied the three leeks together had come apart, and i got to thinking that maybe the checker had made an error. a qucik call to the produce department confirmed that, sure enough, the 2.48 was for a bundled bunch of three leeks ~
 
i explained the situation to the produce manager and he said that i could bring the receipt by and get two more bundles of leeks. this is good new for me, since i really enjoyed them, but mrs. tas may not be too happy about this. Confused
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jdonly1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 October 2010 at 17:14
Originally posted by TasunkaWitko TasunkaWitko wrote:

john, your comment above jarred my memory - while we were checking out at the grocery, the "band" that had tied the three leeks together had come apart, and i got to thinking that maybe the checker had made an error. a qucik call to the produce department confirmed that, sure enough, the 2.48 was for a bundled bunch of three leeks ~
 
i explained the situation to the produce manager and he said that i could bring the receipt by and get two more bundles of leeks. this is good new for me, since i really enjoyed them, but mrs. tas may not be too happy about this. Confused
ahhhh the leek after effect,gotta love itWink
Its nearly as good as pea and ham soup
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Boilermaker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 November 2010 at 15:21
I love leeks, they make wonderful soups, but I am with you on the cost.  We don't have them often because they are so expensive.  I have a recipe for smoked turkey, mushroom, and leak soup that I will try to post up.  I's an excellent fall dish. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 November 2010 at 16:39
Weel, I hope you got reimbursed for the leek overpricing, Tas~!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 November 2010 at 16:46
yep, i went back and since i paid for three bunches of leeks and only got one, they let me have two more free bunches of leeks, which i used in place of onions for some "regular" dishes that we made. tasted great!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 October 2011 at 15:17
here's another good use for leeks: erwtensoep from holland ~ good stuff!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aspen Hill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 October 2011 at 16:03
They are easy to grow!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Daikon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 October 2011 at 17:11
But they can be murder on your good knives because of the amount of dirt that collects in them as they grow.  If you don't need to cut them into rings for your recipe, always split them lengthwise first and then carefully wash out the mud that is in their nether regions.  After that you can safely cut them up however you need without dulling your knives.  If you must have rings (for example, to make batter-fried "onion" rings, for which they are actually much better than most onions because of their lower moisture content), then don't use your favorite knife, and be sure to thoroughly wash your rings after they are cut.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aspen Hill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 October 2011 at 16:48
Good tip there Diakon!  Thank you!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 October 2011 at 09:08
an easy solution - thanks, daikon!
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