Small but very tasty!

[Aradia]

I've just made some leek and potato soup with leeks from my plot. They weren't huge, but my they are tasty. Best leek and veg soup I've ever had if I say so myself. I used some of the herbs I dried in the summer too. I'm going to freeze some for the starter of my Yule lunch.

Yummy!!!

[Stu]

Stop making me hungry!

[harpy]

Mmm, leek and potato soup! What sort of herbs did you use, Aradia?

[Aradia]

Mmm, leek and potato soup! What sort of herbs did you use, Aradia?


I used my own dried dill and some of the fabulous Marigold bouillion powder which I use for all of my soups.

I blended most of it, but left some chunky bits of spud in it. And there's a HUGE pan of it :D

[dairy-free]

how did you dry your herbs?

[Aradia]

I placed them on a baking sheet and then put them in the oven on the lowest setting WITH THE DOOR AJAR (excuse the capitals but that bit's important!!)

Then I turned them every now and again until they were completly dry and brittle and then put them in an airtight container.

When it was hot and dry I pegged huge swathes of basil on the washing line upside down too.

I've also got a dehydrator... but who can be bothered with that for herbs!

[cedarblue]

where's the photo aradia??

[sponge]

I've just made some leek and potato soup with leeks from my plot.

I have this "fear" of leeks. You know, the way you're supposed to clean them because the dirt and bugs get embedded. (not sure if that's the right word) Anyway, because of my "fear of not cleaning leeks properly" I have never tasted them and avoid recipes that contain them. Now, I'm very curious. Are they really good?

[harpy]

I love leeks - like onions but more sort of, er, green-tasting :D

Most of the ones we get here aren't actually very gritty any more, but anyway they are fairly easy to clean if you slice them and give the slices a good swoosh under the cold tap.

[sponge]

Thanks for the tip. I just might try some!

[harpy]

I hope you like them, sponge. You may need to discard the very dark green bits as they can be rather tough, unless the leeks are very fresh.

There seem to be various alternative methods for getting rid of the grit, like this one (page down): http://www.riverford.co.uk/produce/category_detail.php?ProduceCategoryId=40&ProduceHeaderId=2

[Jeebs]

When I lived in Wales for a bit, I had some of the nicest leeks ever.
What a great leek growing nation.

[Aradia]

Leeks are lovely! Especially leek soup and sauteed leeks ... I like them done with some sliced courgette which I then like with nut roast and chunky tomato sauce.

I never wash leeks! There, my sordid secret is out! I never need to. I pulled them out of the ground, cut off the roots, where most of the mud was ... then I remove the outer layer and everything is nice and clean under that.

I slice them thinly and always check to make sure there's nothing hiding in there .... I've never seen anything yet!

[harpy]

They used to have grit in between the white/pale green layers until recently, though, I'm sure :confused: ISTR it's something about how they're grown - whether you bank the earth up round them or something?

[Aradia]

there is a trick to it ... I heard it on Gardener's World a while back but I can't remember what it is.

I can't get them out of the ground at the moment ... we've been down to -7 here :mad:

[harpy]

You must be a natural then, Aradia :)

-7? Wherabouts in France are you? I'm coming to Paris for Christmas, brrrr.

[MillieAnne]

so i have just come to realize the absolute splendor of leeks as well. i think that it is a shame that some vegetable scare people away from using them such as leeks, kale, swiss chard, and other not as typically used veggies. leeks carmelized and used in a red cabbage braise is so delicious!

YAY experimentation!

[sponge]

Guilty as charged, MillieAnne :) but I am trying to work through this. :p