My Grand Success!

This leek is my grand success!

I have been growing leeks for some time now and they have been fine. They are not as large as I would like; certainly they were not exciting. This one, while not really ready for any show in the UK, is my personal best.

Growing leeks is a process. At the proper planting time (spring or fall), in France or the UK, one pops over to the nursery and picks up a bundle of leek starts. Here in the US not many garden suppliers seem to be handling this specialty so we either have to buy them on line or start the seeds ourselves. I have been doing the latter.

If we go the seed route we start them in flats or directly in the garden. Next, we plant the starts ours, or the ones we bought, in the garden. When they have grown to about the diameter of a pencil we dig a trench about 10 inches deep and transplant them into that. All the time we feed and water them faithfully. Onions do not like a drought and they do like to be fed.

The reason for the trench is to blanch them. The bottom part of the leek must be covered in order for it to remain tender and white. Alternate to the trench is "hilling". In that case the leeks are not transplanted but dirt is piled up into a little hill around the leek. Both the trenching and hilling are the cause of all the embedded dirt you are warned about when you are given a recipe for leeks.

Since all this requires the shovel and an active knee. I was beginning to give up the whole idea of leeks until I tried something new.

Last year I allowed a few of my winter leeks to go to seed just in time for Independence Day. They produce lovely flowers that very much resemble the bursts of fireworks. Of course,some seeds were scattered in the process. These seeds sprouted on the ground and by the time I noticed them they were about six or eight inches high. I left them for a while and then got an idea. In my garden there are always a lot of 16 ounce cottage cheese containers. They are used as temporary pots and as new plant protectors (cut worms, etc.) The latter have bottoms removed and serve as a barrier around the plants.

I took one of the containers, bottom removed, and placed it around a leek, and, as the leek grew, filled it in. Each leek grew well and when I finally pulled one this week I had the marvelous specimen you see above. No knee work involved. I think I am into leeks for life!

Recipe

This is a fun way to eat vegetables. It is good at table as a decadent vegetable, or try it as party nibbles.

Leek Puffs

3/4 cup pastry flour (if none is available, use all purpose flour)

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 eggs separated

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup room temperature milk

1 1/2 cups leeks (see below)

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Add two egg yolks; set aside the egg whites. Add the oil and milk and stir together making a thick batter. Set aside in a warm place. If you had to use all purpose flour be sure the better rests for at least 1 hour to let the gluten relax.

Meanwhile prepare the leeks. Check for dirt as you remove all the dark green leaves. Those very pale, tender, green leaves will be fine in this recipe. I have two methods of removing the coarser leaves. If I am in a hurry I do it as if I were sharpening a pencil. Amazingly that innermost layer is a tender pale green all the way to its tip. When I have more time I slice around the leek, removing one layer of the dark green at a time.

Cut the leek into quarters, lengthwise, then cut into lengths about 1/3 inch long to create a confetti of leeks. You will need about 1 and 1/2 cups vegetables.

After the batter has rested, fold in the leeks. Beat the egg whites to firm peaks and gently fold them into the batter. Heat enough oil (safflower, canola or peanut) to cover half the depth of the fritters, about an inch. When the oil is at 350 degrees, drop the puffs into the oil by the tablespoonful. When brown on one side, turn. When the second side is brown remove to paper towels and/or brown paper to drain off any remaining oil. Scatter with coarse salt.

Variation.

An interesting variation would be to use half as much of the leeks and substitute chopped artichoke hearts. These can be fresh, cooked, or canned. If canned are used rinse them well and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding to the batter.

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