How to Prepare Leeks for Breakfast Recipes
Leeks are a wonderfully mild vegetable from the onion family. If you've never bought them before, they look like giant scallions or green onions, and you can find them in the fresh produce section at your local market. Leeks, commonly used in French cooking, make a delicious addition to omelets and a variety of breakfast dishes, as well as soups, salads and entrees. Before adding them to your dishes, however, you need to learn how to wash and prepare them. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Leeks
- Bowl
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Colander
- Clean kitchen towel
- Sauté pan
- Butter or oil
Instructions
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1
Cut your leeks at both ends. Start by trimming off the root, which is white and closely resembles the root of a scallion. If the dark green leaves at the opposite end of the leek are tough, dry or turning brown, peel them off. Then trim that end of the leek so that the remaining portion appears fresh.
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2
Slice the leeks vertically down the center and then dice or mince per the instructions for your recipe. The center of the leek is in layers, like an onion, and they tend to capture a lot of dirt in between the layers, so you'll want to rinse well before cooking. There are several ways to do this, and it's much easier to chop the leeks before you wash them because of the way they grow. Small pieces are much easier to clean, and you'll need to remove a large amount of sand and soil within the leeks before you add them to a recipe.
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3
Fill a large bowl or a clean sink with cold water and soak the chopped leeks in the water. If you have other ingredients to prepare, you can tend to them as the leeks soak. When you come back to them, you'll notice a layer of dirt at the bottom of your bowl. If the leeks aren't terribly dirty, you can also just rinse under cold running water, being sure to lift the layers of the leek to rinse them thoroughly.
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4
Drain the leeks in a colander and pat dry with a clean towel. Add to a saucepan with oil or butter to sauté for a variety of delicious breakfast dishes like omelets, frittatas, quiches and breakfast casseroles.
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