This post by Valeria over at the blog My Life Love Food inspired me to make leeks ingredient of the week at la Domestique. The power of the internet to connect us from places all over the world amazes me. Valeria is a born and raised Italian, but when I read her blog it’s a familiar feeling, like a visit with a friend here in Colorado. She cooks with the seasons, and last week she wrote about buying a bundle of leeks off a farmer on the side of the road. Her photographs of gigantic white stemmed leeks with fresh green tops awakened a craving in me for the sweet, delicate flavor of these cold-loving Alliums.

Leeks are akin to garlic and onions, with a mild, sweet flavor and succulent character. They grow in sandy soils and it’s very important to wash them well before cooking and get rid of the grit. Like kale and cabbage, leeks can be over-wintered in the garden. Their flavor only benefits from frost and the gardener is free to pluck them from the hard soil when little other fresh produce is to be found. Only the white base and very light green parts of the leek should be eaten, the fibrous blue-green leaves discarded as they are tough and not tasty. According to Alice Waters in Chez Panisse Vegetables, leeks keep better if the leaves are left intact until it’s time to cook with them. Store leeks wrapped in a slightly dampened towel in the fridge for about four days.

Unless you find very small leeks, the large ones require a bit of cooking to render them tender and buttery. This can be achieved by simmering the leeks in a pot of boiling water for about five minutes, or sautéing them in melted butter for at least 10 minutes. Leeks are delicious on pizzas, tarts, or bruschetta. Add them to quiche, pasta, and risotto. I love a simple side dish of leeks sautéed in butter served with fish (Valeria made trout with sauté of leeks and olives that looks so good). Leeks add depth to soups and stews. Whole baby leeks are beautiful grilled or quickly boiled and dressed as a salad. Tomorrow is 10 Ways Tuesday at la Domestique, and I’ll have plenty of creative ideas for cooking in the moment with leeks. I believe leeks are festive in their own way, the grand white stalks and iridescent blue-green leaves are a celebration of the beauty of nature. During this season of giving and religious reverence, I often feel sentimental towards mother nature and the miracle of how gardens sustains us. I enjoy cake and cookies as much as the next person, but the joy I feel when holding a vegetable in my hands is what really fills me with the magic of the season. This week at la Domestique, celebrate the holidays with comforting, wintry dishes, all made with leeks.