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Kathy’s Garden Writing |
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LEEKS, BOUTONNIERES, RAMPS, AND ROMPS Every patriotic Welshman knows the value of leeks. These members of the onion family were worn to distinguish friend from foe during an unsuccessful Saxon invasion in 640 AD, thus saving Wales from conquest. Since then, on March 1st of each year, Welshmen wear leeks as boutonničres in honor of Saint David, the patron saint who suggested this battle strategy. Women, being a little more discriminating, wear daffodils. Here in the U.S., Welsh settlers to Appalachia carry on the tradition with spring festivals featuring wild leeks or ramps. These “ramp romps” serve up plenty of leek soup, along with music and assorted gaiety. Gourmet chefs have long been fond of leeks, relishing their silky texture and sweet flavor. Recipes range from side dishes of braised leeks au gratin, to delicious soups and salad fixings, to all sorts of savory main courses. For gardeners, leeks are one of the first seeds to be started indoors in late winter. In fact, they should be well under way by St. David’s Day. Timing of course depends on the variety you plant. Some, like ‘Lancelot,’ reach maturity in 100 days; while slower growing types, like ‘Large American Flag,’ take a month longer. I like to start my ‘Lancelot’ seeds in mid-February, allowing about a week for germination, and six weeks under grow lights. When thick as a pencil, they are ready to harden off for a week or so before planting in a very fertile, deep, loamy bed. There are several planting techniques, but I like the dibble method best. Simply use a spade handle or other dibble to drill holes about three inches deep in your prepared bed. Drop one seedling into each hole, covering with soil so that at least an inch of stem remains above ground. As the growing season progresses, compost can then be layered around the leeks, hilling up and fertilizing in a one-step process. Harvest time is another variable to consider. Early trimmings and thinnings are delicious added to omelets and salads. Mid-size leeks can be grilled or braised, or even served raw with a creamy dip. Then the main harvest comes as the leek stems grow to about an inch in diameter, ready for soups or pastas or other hardy dishes. And when fresh uses have been exhausted, leeks are wonderful chopped and frozen for winter stews, or diced and dried for use as an herbal flavor enhancement. Some sturdy souls even harvest leeks throughout the winter by insulating them with mulch, and trekking to the planting bed whenever a craving for freshness beckons. Hot house flowers like me can dig them up in the late fall, surround the roots with damp sand, and store them in a cool basement. So there we have it for the Welsh national symbol. Of course you don’t have to hail from Wales to enjoy these savory and nutritious vegetables. Try this recipe adapted from an Appalachian ramp romp. CREAM OF LEEK SOUP 4 slices bacon, diced 4 cups chicken broth 4 cups chopped leeks 1 cup heavy cream 4 cups diced red potatoes salt and pepper 3 tablespoons flour In Dutch oven, saute bacon and leeks. Stir in flour. Add broth and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream. Season to taste. “Mwynhewch eich bwyd” (“Bon appetite”, in Welsh)! Kathleen Arcuri Published February 10, 2008 – The Danville Daily Item |