Leeks are March wonders! Why you may ask? Let me explain…

The hunger gap is upon us

In my dad’s garden and storage, the butternuts and zucchinis are long gone and the last pumpkin soup was devoured recently. The beetroots are gone too and so are the last turnips. The peas have just been planted, the potatoes too and so have the seeds for the tomatoes. But it will take time for all of these to grow, a couple weeks, to a couple months for the tomatoes.

Meanwhile, the stock of remaining vegetables is thinning. The couple carrots that are still there, aren’t that good looking! The endives remained small this year. The Jerusalem artichokes are still plentiful but one can not eat these everyday!

Thankfully the potatoes are properly stored and sorted and will last until the new ones come. But you can’t eat fries everyday, or can you?!

I guess not, so here comes the still perky leeks!

I know… I hate, just as much as you do, to land on a website for a recipe and to have to scroll down 2 pages of mumble jumble, for the actual recipe.

And yet here we are, talking about my dad’s garden! Please first remember that I’m not a food blogger!

Second, I think it is important to talk about this. The hunger gap is something you just don’t experience when you go to a supermarket. March tomatoes? Here you are. Green beans, squashes and strawberries? No problem.

We are told to eat in season as much as possible to reduce the impact our lives on the environment, and yet our supermarkets have never been so full of choices, which, for most, are entirely off season. Well, they are in season where they have grown, somewhere probably far away, from where they will be eaten.

We are disconnected and it is quite sad. if you never had a garden, it is really hard to truly know and understand seasons and therefore decide what to buy or not buy.

It takes commitment to learn, without experiencing, without getting your hands dirty. If you are on such a path, I applaud you!

If you are not, don’t be scared, just try!

So yes I think it is important and here I am, shamelessly talking about the perky leeks that my dad still has in his garden, in March.

Oh, but even these will soon start to run out or wither. Hopefully by that time, the cabbage sprouts will be there!

For now, let’s just enjoy them…

Simple and quick leeks recipe

The first and most important step when you get garden leeks is to wash them, and wash them some more! Sand will be found at the junction of the white and green leafs, lots of sand in the case of my dad’s garden! So cut this part in 2, separate the leafs, and wash so more.

Yes, I cried when doing this. Leeks are from the same family as onion and my dad’s leeks are tear inducing, to say the least!

Wash and wash some more!!

Toss in a pan, add some water, cover up and start steaming to soften them.

Meanwhile chop some figs! I love to add sweet things to this type of recipe. It’s my jam, my secret to make my partner eat all sorts of vegetables!

Since my figs were dried ones, adding them early soften them and their perfume spread.

Once the leeks have soften, season to your taste, add tofu and remove the lid until there is almost no water left.

At that point I like to quickly add coconut cream and some vegan parmesan. It’s optional but it’s delicious! Serve and enjoy!

Yes I added some rice at the end. It goes marvellously with the leeks.

Leeks are wonderful. You can just chop them up and steam, boil, braise, roast, stir-fry or sauté them! They are good for your digestive track (personal opinion here!) They can be eaten cold or hot… Just wonders!

Some say they are sweet but honestly my dad’s leeks aren’t. They have a strong taste and strong door. Not like the ones from the supermarket.

And YES! I eat a lot of the green part. It is such a waste not to. It takes a little longer to cook but it’s just as delicious (personal opinion again!!). Great fibres!