Well loved garleek, onyons and eek lekes~Geoffrey Chaucer (1340)

I had a story all ready for you, but raised my own questions when tweaking my recipe, so at the last minute, (editors nightmare!) I changed my topic to LEEKS. I remembered from last year, that some of my recipes contained leeks as well, so I dug deeper.

Leek is a vegetable, it belongs to the “Allium” family, now most gardeners each year, decide which genus to choose from to plant in the gardens. There are so many variations to family. The family tree contains garlic, onion, the Chinese onion, chive, shallot, scallion, kurrat and elephant garlic. They are all closely related vegetables with different taste, flavor and fragrance, and also use differently in foods.

Leek has a long tubular cylinder of green leaves bundled in a sheath with a dense white base at the bottom. The whitest part on the bottom is mostly used in dishes. However, the leaves too, (please do not discard them), can be added to soups, stew, and salads. They taste more like an onion and garlic smashed together (an ionilic, a garlion, a licnion?) with a distinct milder flavor and rich texture than the offspring standing alone.

As a substitutions for leeks, although you can not expect them to give out the exact flavor of leeks in your dishes, there are alternatives, comparable that can save your day.

1. Onion

The most widely cultivated vegetable of the Allium family. It’s available in grocery stores at any season. It’s cheaper than leeks, just has a different profile. Onion has a stronger flavor and fragrance, it can produce similar texture and their family is well extended. Red and white onions may not come as close, seek yellow onions. Sub 1 cup leeks=1/2 cup chopped and sauteed yellow onion.

Why sauteed? As a rule of thumb, it creates a sweeter taste profile.

2. Scallion or Green Onion

This can be the closest to leeks in flavor, they are also known as spring onion or salad onion. They are not fully developed as leeks and a mature onion however, you can use the green part in soups or salads. As far as taste, scallions have a sweet and juicy flavor, as mild as leeks. 1 cup sliced or chopped scallions=1 cup leeks

3. Shallots

Another close substitute for leeks. Comes from the same family, has a slightly milder taste and texture, but the flavor comes close to leeks. Freshly available in supermarkets. Using less because of it’s strength; ¾ cup shallots, sauteed, or thinly sliced=1 cup leeks.

4. Garlic

The old English term for garlic translates to “spear shaped leek”.

More intense in smell, pungent flavor, and taste, it’s easily available and a much cheaper alternative to leeks. To retain the delicate flavor of leeks, you replace it with a small amount of chopped and sauteed garlic. 3-4 cloves=1 cup leeks.

Bottom line, leeks belong to the onion family with many other vegetables that closely imitates its flavor, texture, fragrance, and taste. However, many each a slightly more pungent taste and flavor than leeks, just make sure you add a little less than the replacing ingredients to retain the delicacy of leeks in your dish.

The Recipes

Hash isn’t just for breakfast-it comes together fast for a vegetable-packed weeknight dinner too. For an optional addition, a little chipotle pepper adds a little kick to complement the sweetness of the potatoes. (See substitution below). Making hash with sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes scores you double the nutrients/fiber per servings plus 400% Vitamin A, which the avocado/canola oil’s healthy fats helps your body absorb.

Cheddar Sweet Potato & Ham Hash w/Leeks Prep: 30 min. yields 4

1 ¼ # sweet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled, cubed or shredded

2 large leeks, sliced and divided (or 6 scallions, sliced, divided)

1 c. diced boneless ham steak

(Optional) 1 tbsp. chopped chipotle pepper in adobe sauce (or, If desired, sub/with Sweet Paprika & 1 tbsp. honey)

¼ tsp. salt

4 tsp. avocado or canola oil, divided

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

4 large eggs (or 6 medium)

Directions:

1. Mix sweet potatoes, scallions/or leeks, ham, chipotle/sweet paprika and salt in a large bowl until combined.

2. Heat 2 tsp. Oil in a large cast-iron skillet or non-skillet on medium-high heat. Reduce heat, add the potato hash mix, spread in an even layer. Cook, turning gently occasionally, until sweet potatoes are soft and starting to turn brown, 8-10 minutes. Drizzle remaining oil on edge of pan and tilt pan to flow under the hash. Reduce heat, sprinkle the cheese. Cover and cook until cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray, heat pan to medium heat, crack eggs into pan and cook 5-6 minutes

4. Serve the hash, top with an egg, garnish with remaining scallion. Isn’t it sexy!

Soup is on! For your gut the leeks, asparagus and onion in this soup feeds your microbiome with 13 grams of prebiotic fiber (inulin). For good gut goodies, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who ate 9 grams of inulin daily for 2 weeks saw their good gut microbiome quadruple.

Spring Green Soup with Chicken Prep: 40 minutes

Sauteing the chicken in a little olive oil first (rather than poaching it in broth) creates some browned bits in the pan (aka fond) that gives the soup a richer flavor.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Olive oil

1 # chicken tenders

2 medium leeks, white and green parts only, thinly sliced (sub for leeks: scallion or green onion, shallot)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 cups, low-sodium chicken broth

¾ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. ground pepper, plus more for serving

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 5-oz. package baby spinach

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot on Med-high heat. Add chicken and cook, flipping, once, until browned and cooked through, about 7-9 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add leaks, onion and celery to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping up the brown bits, until tender, 6-8 minutes. Add Garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add broth, salt and pepper; bring to boil on high meat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, put a lid on and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and spinach; cook until asparagus is tender, 5-6 minutes more.

3. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the soup. Stir in the parsley and Parmesan.

Serve and top with more pepper and Parmesan.

Boring potatoes these are not, thanks to flavor-packed stir-ins. Leeks add gut-friendly prebiotic fiber and a smart amount of center-cut bacon which gives smoky,salty undertones to your potatoes. Yukon Gold work the best for this, the higher starch content yields a fluffier, creamier mash.

Bacon-Leek Mashed Potatoes yields 4

Ingredients:

1 # quartered peeled Yukon Gold potatoes

2 center-cut bacon slices

1 cup chopped leeks

¼ c. whole milk

3 tbsp kosher salt

¼ tsp. sour cream

½ tsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes in simmering water until tender, 20 minutes.

2. Cook bacon slices in a skillet until crispy. Remove, cool and crumble.

3. Add chopped leeks to skillet. Reduce heat to med-low. Cook for 8 minutes.

4. Drain potatoes; mash with whole milk, sour cream, salt, pepper and leeks.

5. Top with bacon and chives. Eat while it’s warm.

Happy Fooding! Happy Leeking! Thank you for your wonderful notes, I loved them! Bring your ideas, recipes and more love at scrappychef@yahoo.com.~and the last words~Eat leeks in March and wild garlic in May, and all year after physicians may play~Old Welsh Rhyme? Here you are Scrappy Chef fans, anyone know who or about the “Old Welsh Rhyme”?

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