Leek

vegetable · cooking · allium family

Giant green onion. Leeks are actually related to onions and garlic, but they taste much milder and sweeter. The part you eat is a bundle of white and light green layers wrapped around each other.

Ancient favorite. People have been eating leeks for over 4,000 years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all loved them, and leeks are even the national vegetable of Wales.

Two-year plant. Leeks are biennial plants, which means they take two years to complete their life cycle if you let them grow that long. Most are harvested in their first year when they taste best.

Cooking magic. When you cook leeks, they become soft and sweet, making them perfect for soups, stir-fries, and side dishes. The white part is milder than the green part.

Farm to table. Leeks grow best in cool weather and need rich soil with lots of nutrients. Farmers plant them early in spring or fall and harvest them when they're thick and tender.