Comments on: Return of the Root Vegetables http://seattle.metblogs.com/2005/09/27/return-of-the-root-vegetables/ Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:32:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Cat Nilan http://seattle.metblogs.com/2005/09/27/return-of-the-root-vegetables/comment-page-1/#comment-938 Cat Nilan Wed, 28 Sep 2005 22:33:15 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2005/09/27/return-of-the-root-vegetables/#comment-938 "Soak" is really the wrong word here. Because of the way they're grown, leeks can get a lot of grit inside of them. Most cookbooks I've read call for washing and/or soaking to remove the grit between the layers. Frankly, the leeks I've gotten recently have all been nice and clean, but I wouldn't skip washing them really carefully. Nothing worse than gritty soup! Not that I want to scare anyone away from leeks. Although they look a lot like overgrown scallions, they are a wondrous vegetable in their own right and add tremendous flavor to soups. I only started using them because they kept showing up in my vegetable delivery bin, but I'm completely sold on their virtues now. “Soak” is really the wrong word here. Because of the way they’re grown, leeks can get a lot of grit inside of them. Most cookbooks I’ve read call for washing and/or soaking to remove the grit between the layers. Frankly, the leeks I’ve gotten recently have all been nice and clean, but I wouldn’t skip washing them really carefully. Nothing worse than gritty soup!

Not that I want to scare anyone away from leeks. Although they look a lot like overgrown scallions, they are a wondrous vegetable in their own right and add tremendous flavor to soups. I only started using them because they kept showing up in my vegetable delivery bin, but I’m completely sold on their virtues now.

]]> By: wendolen http://seattle.metblogs.com/2005/09/27/return-of-the-root-vegetables/comment-page-1/#comment-937 wendolen Wed, 28 Sep 2005 01:56:11 +0000 http://seattle.metblogs.com/2005/09/27/return-of-the-root-vegetables/#comment-937 This is a nice soup, and being the main soup cook at my restaurant has had me in a really soupy mood lately. I had one question, though: Why do you soak the leeks? I've seen onions soaked, if you were planning to serve them raw, to cut down on the bite, but leeks are so mild to begin with. This is a nice soup, and being the main soup cook at my restaurant has had me in a really soupy mood lately. I had one question, though: Why do you soak the leeks? I’ve seen onions soaked, if you were planning to serve them raw, to cut down on the bite, but leeks are so mild to begin with.

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