Cutting and cleaning leeks

Hello all,

As we prepare for Wednesday night's dinner: Too Easy Chicken with Leeks, I want to offer some tips on preparing leeks.

You'll notice where I indicated on the photo below where to cut the green leaves/blades off the main body of the leek.

Also cut off the root end.

Leeks are grown in a sandy/loamy soil, they collect all sand in between each of those layers. To get that sand and sediment out, cut the leeks lengthwise, the crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Place all the cut leeks into a large bowl of cool water and sloosh around, this will dislodge the dirt and it will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Don't pour the water and leeks into a colander. This will just get the dirt back into the leeks. Lift the leeks out and place in a drainer. You'll see all the dirt sitting on the bottom of the bowl.

Let your leeks dry for few minutes before adding to the pan...you don't want too much extra water in the pan.

Hope this helps you prepare for the tasty treat!