{"id":34749,"date":"2014-02-05T17:03:39","date_gmt":"2014-02-05T17:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/?p=34749"},"modified":"2017-04-18T09:26:35","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T14:26:35","slug":"leeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/food\/recipes\/leeks\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking with Leeks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"soup\"<\/a>While asparagus tends to be one of the most called upon vegetables during Pesach, sometimes the price and availability make them just one more of the tres tres tres expensive items we have to buy for the 8 day food fest of Passover. I say make the switch to leeks and you\u2019ll be pleasantly surprised at exactly how versatile and delicious this sweet, onion flavored vegetable can be.<\/p>\n

Sometimes called the poor man\u2019s asparagus, a leek is an onion without the crying and all of the flavor. When preparing a leek, you can keep it simple by slowly braising it or add some spices and herbs and pare it with other vegetables for a sweetly complex, subtle and mellow taste. The leek should not be considered merely a substitute for other vegetables; it\u2019s hearty and delicious enough to compliment any meat, chicken or fish you serve it with.<\/p>\n

When buying your leeks, you should look for medium sized ones with bright green leaves. They should be firm with no visible blemishes or bruises and the stalk should be white. I say look for medium sized ones for consistency in cooking. Smaller and larger leeks all taste the same they just take a bit less or more cooking time. On the upside, besides being not as expensive as asparagus, leeks contain antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins are very low in calories.<\/p>\n

You should know up front, a leek is a dirt magnet vegetable and will require lots of cleaning once you get to the prep part. The roots hang on to the dirt but dirt also works its way into the leaves, much like the way it does in onions. The best way to get rid of dirt is to cut off about a 1\/3 of an inch of the bottom with the root attached. Then cut off the top part of the green stalks. The ends of the leek are very fibrous so you don\u2019t want to try and cook them. The lighter green and white section of the stalk are what you want. The next step is to cut the leek in half lengthwise. This is where you rinse, rinse and rinse again. Make sure to check the layers to get rid of any and all dirt. Once the dirt is gone you can dice, chop or keep them cut in half and start cooking.<\/p>\n

The best part about using leeks is that they\u2019re not just for Pesach and you can get them at a reasonable price all year around. The following recipes will delight anyone who\u2019s looking for that special something for a week filled with matzo that isn\u2019t filled with matzo.<\/p>\n

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Leek-Stuffed\u00a0Salmon (fish)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

4 servings<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/span>:<\/h4>\n