Leeks. How much of the stem do you eat?

[Benacre]

Whilst sitting in the hut today discussion was centred around eating Leeks.
There were many ways in which we eat Leeks and also how much of the stalk do we eat. Me I eat the white flesh but leave out all the green, some eat all of the Leek.
How do you eat ours?

[JennieAtkinson]

Oh the whole lot Ben!

I always think the green leaves are the best bit and look so colourful in soup and casseroles. As long as the leaves are not rusty or eaten, I just slice them up thinly and add them in with the rest.

[Bex]

I'm with Jennie on this one, I eat everything bar the roots.

I love leeks, planted some seeds today in toilet tubes in my propagator.

[nick the grief]

I'm with these two Green & whote all gets munched,

[supersprout]

With the last three - the whole thing. And leeks of different sizes from baby leeks>>>monsters!

[shirlthegirl43]

Everything that isn't damaged or too tough here!!

[Mrs Dobby]

Ditto for us too! I like to eat as much of every veg as can be eaten, so only discard anything that is munched or damaged!

[Snadger]

Oh dear!! Woe is me!!! I eat all the white and one third of the green! Don't ask me why though!

[yoanbob]

its part of the onion family, when you get onion from the supermarket and peel it somtimes the outside layer wont chop easy, just cos its been on the shelf too long.
also this bit is'nt nice too eat. same with leeks, chop the white bit as big as you like, chop the green a bit thinner to even out cooking. perfectly good to eat, tend to take the outside two leaves off and maybee an inch off the end of the other leaves but eat it all its yum!

[kittykat8]

leeks

can any make of leek be started now in the propagator, and why the toilet rolls, also I am going to start my early carrots off today in polytunnel was thinking of using toilet rolls to space seeds outs would this be ok, I would have to pick one seed at a time.

also going to start red onion seed off today

sorry to ask basic questions very new to this and just want things to grow.

my garlic seems to be growing well, but as it is supermarket garlic will have to wait and see.

[supersprout]

Hi kittykat, when do you want to have leeks? Some varieties are good for summer eating, some overwinter well (it will say on the packet). I grow leeks as a winter crop, sow in a 7-inch pot late April, transplant in early June (when early broadies are harvested).

Toilet rolls make good modules and they rot down into the soil. I'm an enthusiastic convert to modules: http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalo...oducts_id=2037

To save faffing about with individual seeds, you can multi-sow and plant clusters of veg e.g. stump rooted (Parmex) carrot, beet and onion, slightly further apart from each other than single seeds. I tried with parsnips but never again - every one a corkscrew!

Good luck with whatever you decide to grow kk, there are so many different ways of growing veg, a big part of the fun is hunting for tips and methods that might work better

[Stroppy scotte]

Leeks
Eat the lot before anyone else gets a look in
Great sauteed in butter with courgette and mushrooms with a hint of garlic!!
Now I'm hungry

[Alison]

Defo eat the lot, and if the outer leaves are a bit tough will use them in a stock - does this make me tight?

[nick the grief]

Yes

King Richard are a good one for Baby/early leeks but I love the Mammoth ones (Blanch & pot) & good old Musselburgh

[Alice]

Defo eat the lot, and if the outer leaves are a bit tough will use them in a stock - does this make me tight?

No it doesn't make you tight Alison, it makes you very sensible. I boil bts of veg not getting used with parsley stalks and anything else going to make vegetable stock. I use the whole leek, only discarding the very roughest or damaged bits. I've got some cooking now in the tomato - vegetable soup. Some of my own pasata is in there with my own carrots and spring onions. And I've got onion and garlic bread going in the breadmaker to go with it. I've got some of my own potatoes from the freezer (saved them for the ocassion) and my squash and my own mint sauce to go with the lamb. And there's a raspberry fool to follow. I think dinner will be allright tonight.