This is a relatively new pest of leeks and onions and thought to be mainly concentrated around the south-east coast of the UK, although it has been found further inland and north. Caterpillars tunnel into the leaves, causing whitish-brown patches to develop on leaves. In severe cases, leaves may turn yellow and rotting occurs within them. Once you see the damage, there is nothing you can do to control it.
Remove and destroy infected plants. When planting out, cover leeks with horticultural fleece like Enviromesh to prevent adult moths from laying eggs. Start harvesting in late summer, when the leeks are still quite small, to increase the cropping period.
Gently lift from the soil using a fork. Anthony Worrall Thompson includes leeks in his root vegetable gratin dauphinoise. Nigel Slater adds leeks to his artichoke soup with ginger and walnuts. Buy now. Take action Why take action? Support us Donate Careers Commercial opportunities Leave a legacy. Join the RHS today and support our charitable work Join now. Hot links Browse inspiration articles Buy plants online. According to the book of Numbers during their escape across the desert the Hebrews grumbled about only having manna to eat, recalling the leeks of Egypt with great fondness.
The ancient Greeks and Romans also embraced the vegetable, the latter developing a belief that eating leeks imbues the voice with greater resonance and depth. The famously vain Emperor Nero had leek soup every day to improve his singing and oration, and was consequently nicknamed Porrophagus, 'leek-eater'. It is widely believed that the Romans brought the leek to Britain, where as luck would have it the climate is ideally suited to its cultivation.
Its adoption as a national symbol of Wales is said to have come from the Battle of Heathfield in AD where the Welsh combatants distinguished themselves from their Saxon opponents by pinning leeks to their headgear. The long chain carbohydrates formed by heating give cooked leeks a slightly slippery feel which provides an unmissable opportunity to use the word 'mucilaginous'. It's the thickening quality associated with these carbs which makes the leek so well suited to use in soups and stews.
As with many vegetables, planting early and late varieties lengthens the harvest. Carlton early , Musselburgh late and King Richard for early, baby leeks have good reputations. Now you know how to cut leeks, but what about how to cook them? They add delectable flavor to homemade vegetable stock. Need some ideas? Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them:. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail.
Thank-you this was super helpful and easy instructions on cooking leeks! Thanks val. Very helpful article. They are viewed as a normal vegetable here. My favourite way of preparing leeks is to cook them with cream in a pan, served with rice and salmon… Simply delicious! Select smaller sized leeks when possible for maximum tenderness. Larger leeks can be tough and woody.
The leaves should be crisp and green with no signs of wilting or yellowing. Look for white stalks that are straight, firm and free of blemishes or cracks. The attached roots should be pliable and light in color. Refrigerate unwashed leeks in a plastic bag for up to 5 days. Preparing Leeks Dark green leek tops are too tough to eat; only the white and light green portions of the stalk are edible. Trim off and discard the roots and the leaf tops down to where the dark green color begins to turn pale.
Because leeks are grown partially underground, soil and grit are often lodged between their concentric layers. To thoroughly clean, cut each leek lengthwise to within 1 inch of the root end.
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