Leeks have been the national emblem of Wales since 640 AD when, according to legend, the Welsh defeated the invading Saxons because they had leeks attached to their hats. The leeks prevented them from attacking each other by mistake!

Leeks belong to the onion family and look a bit like a huge spring onion, with a mild onion flavour. Miniature leeks are sometimes available.

What to look for

Choose well-shaped, medium stems with fresh green tops and lots of white flesh.

How to keep

Store at 0°C with a relative humidity of 90 - 100%.

CONSUMER STORAGE: Refrigerate in plastic bags.

Nutritional value

Leeks excellent amounts of vitamin C as well as folate and useful amounts of B vitamins, vitamin E, copper, potassium and iron. A range of saponins are present with some flavonoids. Carotenoids and chlorophyll are contained mainly in the green tops.

How to prepare

Trim the root end and trim off the green tops - leaving about 10 cm of green. Remove any outer leaves which are coarse or damaged. Make a slit down the length of the green stem and rinse thoroughly in cold running water. Sometimes dirt gets trapped - this is because leeks are 'earthed up' to keep them white.

When you can get it

Although they are thought of as a winter vegetable, leeks are usually available all year round. Sometimes they are hard to get between November and February.


Vegetable information kindly provided by www.vegetables.co.nz