0 Growing Leeks From Seed

Leek Soup

Leeks are an often overlooked vegetable to grow and are nutritious as well. A common way to serve them is in soup. Sometimes with potato, if as a meal, but just leeks themselves in a soup is also very delicious. It works well if you are having company and want to have a number of courses and want something lighter to start of with. Leeks, onion, and garlic are all in the same family. They have a very good nutrition profile being high in a number of vitamins and minerals. They also score well in amino acids and completeness score. They have few pest or disease problems making them easy to grow organically. One thing about leeks that make them easier to cook with is that it doesn't cause you eyes to water like onion, but it does taste like an onion.

I decided to add them to my garden and have found them easy to grow. Being in Florida planting leeks in fall is advisable. They are a cool weather crop and i don't imagine they would be ready before the warm weather in spring hit. Leeks don't need a lot of room but do grow fairly tall. Here is about as simple a soup recipe you can get. Next time you are at the supermarket, pick them up and give it a try.

4 cups chicken broth

4 leeks

1 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp butter

In a pot add the butter. Cut up the leeks and add them in, sautee the leeks for about 8 minutes. Add the 4 cups of chicken broth and cook for about 20 minutes. Lastly add the heavy cream. Cook another 10 minutes and you are done.

A couple of variations of these would be to use bacon instead of butter. Using the bacon fat to cook the leeks in and adding the crumbled bacon back in at the end. Another variation uses potatoes, but cooking them till tender in the broth for about 20 minutes. Or combine them and get a tasty and filling meal all by itself. No matter which way you do it leeks should be on the menu. Enjoy!