leeks from the lottie
It seems to me that the leeks have been star vegetable on the allotment recently.
We planted them last spring and have been harvesting them for months.
Here are the latest ones dug up a couple of days ago.
They don't seem to suffer from pests or diseases and are happy to stay in the ground until ready to be lifted.
When I last looked in Waitrose 500g of trimmed leeks were £2, but since we were kindly given the leek seedlings last spring by mr digandweed's dad ( himself a keen gardener) they have cost us nothing!
In addition to all this, leeks are also very versatile
and for supper the other evening I made chicken and leek risotto.
Following a recipe for leek risotto with chestnuts from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Veg Everyday book as a basis, I used chicken stock and leftover chicken ( from a roast chicken meal earlier in the week) and substituted sauted mushrooms for the chestnuts.
They look fab. I don't have a greenhouse, so our seeds go in a bed to be dug up and replanted later. One lot got leek moth damage. The others went in later and have avoided that, but are not very big. But very welcome nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Our leeks are not very big either, but I think they got off to a good start as the seedlings were very sturdy.
DeleteLeeks must be one of the best value winter vegetables to grow. Nice and easy too... even the rabbits that are eating their way through our garden at the moment have, so far, ignored the leeks!
ReplyDeleteWondering how I managed to miss that recipe in my Hugh's veg book. I grew leeks succesfully a few years ago and haven't tried them since. You've inspired me to try them again this year
ReplyDeleteI've never attempted to grow leeks but I do love to eat them (usually in soup). Must give leek risotto a try.
ReplyDeleteThey look so perfect! Love your ladle, too.
ReplyDeleteThank you! The ladle came from St Martin's Antique Centre, Stamford - I love looking round that place!
DeleteI love risotto and your's looks delicious, Beautiful photos!
ReplyDelete