Leeks

Leeks are one of the more elegant members of the onion family. Somewhat like a dashing count, they are plentiful and cheap in Europe but highly thought of and expensive in America. Indeed, they are known in France and Wales as the poor man's asparagus. They have a surprisingly mild and delicate flavor, considering that they are so hearty as to live in the ground all winter, as long as temperature does not drop below 10 degrees. The leek is probably the most versatile of the allium family, which includes onions, garlic, shallots and scallions as well as lilies.

Leeks are big, beautiful and extremely versatile. And in a few weeks, when the local harvests start coming in, they will be even more affordable for budget-minded cooks. Both milder and sweeter than their cousin the onion, leeks won't even make you cry. The colorful leek ranges from creamy white and pale yellowy-green through deep green toward blue in a single stalk. In Europe, leeks are considered indispensable to cooking, especially in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, also the world's leading producers.

Even the non-onion fans among us might find themselves swayed by the mild, sweet taste of leeks, now appearing at a produce counter near you. Unlike its scallion cousin, which can be used end-to-end, the best part of a leek ranges from the white part into only the tender green part of the stems. To prepare, first trim off roots and discard the first few coarse outer leaves. Trim tops down to the 2- or 3-inch expanse of tender, light green stem; slit lengthwise. Then wash them.

Back in the early '60s, when I started cooking something besides sloppy Joes and dessert, leeks were those things you could never get but that it was all right to substitute onions for, which everybody did. Then in the '70s, they were this tony vegetable that sophisticates knew made all the difference, though all but the richest wondered why the devil they were known as "the asparagus of the poor" when they cost even more than asparagus. These days, they cost as much as ever, but they seem cheaper, because everything else has caught up. They are also much more widely available, not only in specialty stores but in supermarkets as well.

When making soup, it's sometimes hard to stop adding things. There are so many great end-of-summer and fall vegetables to choose from, that by the time we're done adding to the soup, we've got enough to get us through winter - when our intention just was to cook dinner. The key to making a great, relatively quick soup for two is to focus on one ingredient or flavor to carry the bowl. This time of year, stores are brimming with soup ingredients; leeks, broccoli, onions and potatoes are but a few. The idea is to choose one or two as a soup base.

It's hard for me to imagine cooking without garlic at any time of the year, but spring is when you get the opportunity to enjoy it in its fresher stages - green garlic and garlic chives available before the head has fully formed. Garlic has had a rocky history, and some people still shy away from this powerful member of the onion family. But the "stinking rose" as it is also known, is indispensable in nearly all the world's cuisines. It is thought to have originated in the deserts of Central Asia.

One of the great pleasures of cooking is being surprised by an ingredient you thought you knew completely. You read a recipe, or an idea pops into your head for handling it a completely different way, and a whole new world of possibilities opens: the cook's eureka moment. Like many people, I viewed leeks as an oniony flavoring for dishes, or as leeks vinaigrette or as a cooked garnish in a stew or sauce; I loved them rubbed with olive oil and roasted in a foil package. Then I bought a bunch of leeks at the farmers' market and it occurred to me to julienne them - cut them into thin strips - to treat them like noodles.

By Rachael Ray Clarkson Potter. 360 pp. $24.95 Reviewed by Robin Currie, for the Inquirer First, a confession: I have never been a big Rachael Ray fan. I have always found her, well, annoying. But I was willing to look at her new Big Orange Book with an open mind. Rachael refers to this book as "BOB," for Big Orange Book , so I will, too. Well, BOB and I did not get off to a great start. I could not identify the first photograph in the book. What was it? Why did it look like there was raw chicken in it?

Though breakfast generally takes a backseat to other meals, that changes when I entertain. When family or friends stay with us, coffee, toast, and a bowl of cereal seems too mundane. I've prepared potato omelettes or scrambled eggs with herbs and smoked salmon for company, or mounds of pancakes or stacks of waffles, garnished with smoked sausages or ham. Recently I served a gratin of eggs baked with leeks, bacon and St. Andre cheese, which can be assembled the night before.

Elegant and earthy, mushrooms are ideal for today's modern cooking styles. They offer great versatility and creative potential, and are found in cuisines around the world. The portobello mushroom is actually a mature crimini, or Italian brown mushroom. They are older than the crimini when harvested, and as a result of the longer growing period, develop caps that range up to six inches in diameter. In the last few years, smaller baby portobello mushrooms have become available.

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat: Craig LaBan: You all know I love a good, simple farm-market meal, and I scored big this weekend with my first potato-leek soup of the season. Potatoes, leeks, and water are like best friends. Why anyone would ruin this classic French peasant trio with chicken stock or bacon is beyond me. This soup is one of the most sublime examples of simplicity perfected. My version: Potatoes (four large ones, peeled and diced)

Though they are members of the onion family and look like overgrown green onions, leeks bring a mellower flavor to Sunday supper. If you've had vichyssoise, the cold potato-and-leek soup, you know just what I mean. In today's recipe, leeks and shallots cooked in white wine and a bit of butter form a bed for seared scallops. Add rice, a green salad, and crusty bread, and your supper is complete.   Scallops and Leeks With White Wine   1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over low heat.

Even though the popular "spring mix" of greens has become ubiquitous in grocery stores year round, it just seems wrong to rely on it as a main salad ingredient every season of the year - especially in winter. Once, not so long ago, farmers, gardeners and diners waited eagerly for the first tender young leaves of lettuces and other greens to herald spring. Nowadays, modern farming, processing and shipping allows us all to serve clean and ready-cut salad from a bag whenever we please.

One of the great pleasures of cooking is being surprised by an ingredient you thought you knew completely. You read a recipe, or an idea pops into your head for handling it a completely different way, and a whole new world of possibilities opens: the cook's eureka moment. Like many people, I viewed leeks as an oniony flavoring for dishes, or as leeks vinaigrette or as a cooked garnish in a stew or sauce; I loved them rubbed with olive oil and roasted in a foil package. Then I bought a bunch of leeks at the farmers' market and it occurred to me to julienne them - cut them into thin strips - to treat them like noodles.

By Rachael Ray Clarkson Potter. 360 pp. $24.95 Reviewed by Robin Currie, for the Inquirer First, a confession: I have never been a big Rachael Ray fan. I have always found her, well, annoying. But I was willing to look at her new Big Orange Book with an open mind. Rachael refers to this book as "BOB," for Big Orange Book , so I will, too. Well, BOB and I did not get off to a great start. I could not identify the first photograph in the book. What was it? Why did it look like there was raw chicken in it?

Though breakfast generally takes a backseat to other meals, that changes when I entertain. When family or friends stay with us, coffee, toast, and a bowl of cereal seems too mundane. I've prepared potato omelettes or scrambled eggs with herbs and smoked salmon for company, or mounds of pancakes or stacks of waffles, garnished with smoked sausages or ham. Recently I served a gratin of eggs baked with leeks, bacon and St. Andre cheese, which can be assembled the night before.

Leeks are big, beautiful and extremely versatile. And in a few weeks, when the local harvests start coming in, they will be even more affordable for budget-minded cooks. Both milder and sweeter than their cousin the onion, leeks won't even make you cry. The colorful leek ranges from creamy white and pale yellowy-green through deep green toward blue in a single stalk. In Europe, leeks are considered indispensable to cooking, especially in northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands, also the world's leading producers.

Khalif Leek has endured too many painful losses this season. Yesterday, he wasn't about to let another game slip from the Central boys' basketball team. The Lancers, who were picked by some Public League coaches as a dark-horse contender before the season started, had lost three straight games in the middle of the league schedule by a combined seven points. On Tuesday, Central suffered a 16-point setback to Martin Luther King. So, Leek was not about to let the Lancers lose to University City in his final home game.

It's hard for me to imagine cooking without garlic at any time of the year, but spring is when you get the opportunity to enjoy it in its fresher stages - green garlic and garlic chives available before the head has fully formed. Garlic has had a rocky history, and some people still shy away from this powerful member of the onion family. But the "stinking rose" as it is also known, is indispensable in nearly all the world's cuisines. It is thought to have originated in the deserts of Central Asia.

Elegant and earthy, mushrooms are ideal for today's modern cooking styles. They offer great versatility and creative potential, and are found in cuisines around the world. The portobello mushroom is actually a mature crimini, or Italian brown mushroom. They are older than the crimini when harvested, and as a result of the longer growing period, develop caps that range up to six inches in diameter. In the last few years, smaller baby portobello mushrooms have become available.