Leek
A milder alternative to onions—no tears will be shed cutting this one.
Alternative Name
N/A
Scientific Name
Allium ampeloprasum
Health benefits
Leeks belong to the onion family and look a bit like a huge spring onion, with a mild onion flavour. They can be used as a mild alternative to onions in many dishes and come with the benefit of not causing tears.
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Harvesting
Good quality leeks are firm and smooth, free of blemishes, and have white stems with dark green leaves. The cut bottoms should be flat; rounded may indicate prolonged storage.Postharvest storage temperature
Hydro-cooling, crushed ice, and vacuum-cooling are the most common methods to promptly cool harvested leeks to 0°C. Good refrigeration retards elongation and curvature that develops in leeks at 10–21°C. Yellowing also develops more rapidly at warmer temperatures. Leeks can be stored for 2–3 months at 0°C with 95–100% relative humidity. Leeks are not sensitive to chilling temperatures and should be stored as cold as possible without freezing.Controlled atmosphere storage
Storage for 4–5 months at 0°C is possible with controlled atmospheres, although there will be some loss of quality. Recommended controlled atmosphere conditions are 1–3% O2 and either 2–5% CO2 or 5–10% CO2. Such controlled atmosphere retards yellowing and decay development. Levels of 15–20% CO2 cause tissue injury.Ethylene sensitivity
Leeks produce very low levels of ethylene and are moderately sensitive to it. Detrimental effects include softening and increased decay.Humidity storage
High relative humidity (95–100%) is essential to prevent wilting. Moderate wilting is apparent when leeks lose about 15% of their weight.Disease & infection
Most diseases that attack onions may also affect leeks. -
Remove outer and core before use. Keep in vegetable drawer of fridge.
A good source –
1 serve provides 25% of RDI or 4g of fibre
A source –
1 serve provides 10% of RDI or 2g of fibre
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Veggy tip
Trim leeks roughly 5cm from leafy end and 1cm from the base, then slice the whole length. For best flavour, allow sliced leeks to sit for at least 5 minutes before cooking.