Contributed by Jennifer Peachey

I was born an onion lover. It's in my genes. As a very young child I would walk with my grandfather through his garden and pull up the green onions. My grandfather would peel the outer layers and cut off the roots with his handy pocketknife. We would stand and eat until we could eat no more. It wasn't until after my grandmother's death, when the garden became another patch of grass, that I realized how special those fresh onions were.

Some thirty years later I still savour the taste of onions but have now incorporated other members of the onion family into my diet. Chives, now handpicked by my own children, filled two large pots in this year's garden, and half of a large raised-bed garden contained a bounteous harvest of leeks this year.

It took us a long time to try leeks. The first few encounters with them left grit in our teeth but determination in our hearts. I learned two simple methods that eliminate the dirt problem. If slicing leeks: Take each slice and poke out the rings into a sink of cold water. Swish the leek-rings around to loosen the dirt. Drain and rinse again in clean water. If using whole leeks: Make a couple of lengthwise slits in the leek, stopping about 2 cm from the root end. Peel back the layers and rinse thoroughly under running water. Now that the leeks are clean, what can you do with them?

Leeks can replace cooked onions in most recipes, with the exception of onion soup. They have a more subtle taste than an onion, so they will not mask the taste of the other food they are cooked with. Leeks can also replace chicory in dishes baked au gratin. The greens of leeks can add flavour to broths and stews. Used raw, they can substitute for chives or shallots. The white of a leek can also be consumed raw, in a salad, for example.

When cooking leeks it is important not to overcook them as they will go soft and mealy. Sliced leeks should be sauteed for 3-5 minutes or simmered for 10-15 minutes. Whole leeks take 15-20 minutes for boiling and 25-35 for baking.

If you've tried leeks and don't like them, perhaps you can use them as a feather in your cap. During the middle ages in Wales, they did just that. It was in celebration of victorious battles, and now the leek has become Wales' national emblem. I, too, hold leeks in high esteem, but I would much rather eat them.

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