Rinse any excess dirt off the outside of the leeks.
STEP 2: CUT OFF THE LEAVES
Cut off and discard the dark green leaves an inch or so above the white part of the stalk. The greens are too bitter and too fibrous to eat (they can be used to flavor soups and stocks).
STEP 3: CUT OFF THE ROOT END
Cut a quarter-inch or so off the bottom (white pinstriped portion) of the leek, and discard the roots.
STEP 4: CUT THE LEEKS LENGTHWISE
The light green and white portion that remains is the edible part of the leek. Cut this in half lengthwise.
STEP 5: SLICE ACCORDING TO YOUR SPECIFIC RECIPE
Continue slicing the leek horizontally in half circles to the directed size thickness needed for your specific recipe.
STEP 6: RINSE AND SOAK THE LEEK SLICES
Add the sliced leeks to a sieve or colander rinse with cold running water. Swish them around a few times. Add the leeks to a bowl and fill it with cold water. Allow them to soak a minute or two.Drain the leeks with the sieve or colander. The grit will remain behind in the bowl. Fill the bowl with fresh water and repeat until the water is clear.
Notes
HOW TO GET RID OF EXCESS WATER: Most of the time, leeks go into a soup or stir-fry, so you don’t have to worry about drying them before cooking. If your recipe requires the leaks to be dry, you can run it through a salad spinner or press it between kitchen towels after chopping it into pieces.
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