I like to try new recipes. Alot. But as I'm flipping through cookbooks and magazines, I tend to skim through the ingredients to see if there are "weird" things in there. Things on my list of "weird" included leeks, parsnips, turnips, and other such root vegetables.
But today, I decided to go out on a limb. I want my kids to be more open-minded about food than I am, so I need to start feeding them everything from a young age and introducing them to things that I had never heard of until 2 years ago. Such as leeks. In my babyfood cookbook, I found a recipe for cheesy leek, sweet potato, and cauliflower puree.
So this morning, I found myself at Walmart (8am is the BEST time to be there, by the way - it was deserted!) in the produce section. I am proud to say that in my quest to eat healthier, over half my grocery list was from the produce section. I had found everything except the leeks, and I saved them for last because I was a wee bit prejudiced against them. For mildly good reason - don't you think "leek" is just a nasty-sounding word? Well, I had NO earthly idea what a leek looked like, so I just started at one end and read all the signs. There it is - leeks. I looked up, and what should I behold but giant green onions on steroids. Green onions are probably my favorite vegetable right now. And if leeks are anything like green onions, I'll eat them myself and not just put them in Leighton's babyfood and do my motherly duty.
I brought them home and, after showing their massiveness to Andrew, put them on the shelf in my fridge. (They wouldn't fit in the produce drawer because they are about 5 feet long, and because it was already full.)
When Marelize came over to pick up Malone, I sheepishly asked her if she knew how to cut them and which part I should use. It's a little embarassing to admit how foreign some vegetables are to me. I mean, they're just vegetables - it's not like caviar or something. She told me, and while I had them out, I tore a bit off the green top and tasted it.
It tastes like green onion! I am in love with leeks! I might eat a whole one plain. Okay, that's gross. But I am definitely going to use them now. If any of you have a good recipe with leeks in it, please share. My vegetable horizons have been expanded.
Next up: parsnips. Gulp.
5 comments:
I love leeks. You can find all sorts of recipes online for leek and potato soup and other similar type things. And don't fear the parsnip. It's nothing more than a big white carrot. And it tastes like a carrot too. I just learned about them a week or two ago.
Oh man,
You make me laugh. I have no clue what a leek is. I need to google it when I'm done with this comment. I'm impressed by how much produce you purchased! And I agree that I need to expose my kids to a variety of things now. I have to ask, have you given up hot dogs for good? I think of you whenever I give one to Eliza.
You are so chic. I never use leeks. I always see the fine chefs of the world with their wine and their leeks, and there I am with my microwave and plastic cups.
I love leek and use them in soups a lot! I will send you a recipe when i have time to look for it. Also I have another recipe for a soup that uses Kale, another wied veggie. It is a soup that is served at olive garden (Zuppa Toscana), so if you want to try it and another weird veggie let me know.
Stephanie- I make my clam chowder with leeks, so if you want the recipe just let me know. If you don't like the clams in the chowder you can leave them out and it makes a delicious potato soup.
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