Cleaning Leeks

1. Cut the white and bottom 3/4 of light green part of leek lengthwise, leaving the top of the light green section and the dark green leaves intact. You want the layers of leek to be able to fan out but remain attached.

2. Cut the white and bottom 3/4 of light green part of leek lengthwise, leaving the top of the light green section and the dark green leaves intact. You want the layers of leek to be able to fan out but remain attached.

3. Turn the leek a quarter turn and cut it lengthwise again (as in Step 2) so the leek is cut into quarters lengthwise.

4. Using the dark green leaves as a handle, rinse the cut white and light green section of the leek under cool running water, fanning them apart to remove all dirt and grit as needed. If the leeks you're dealing with are particularly dirty, you may want to rinse off the dark green “handle” first, just to get rid of any big clumps and keep them from migrating over to the lighter part you'll be cutting to use.

5. Cut leek to desired shape and size. How you cut them really depends on how you're going to use them.

• For using in soups that end up pureed, like Potato Leek Soup or Sorrel Leek Soup, a really rough chop is fine.
• For dishes where the pieces of leek show up in the dish like Green Garlic and Leek Risotto, make sure to chop the leek finely and evenly.
• For dishes where there are a lot of leeks, such as Leek Tart or Potato Leek Gratin, make sure to slice them thinly or mince them so their often fibrous texture doesn't get in the way