Ask a question and . . .

Recently, on one of our almost weekly trips to the local Pazar for the fruit and vegetables portion of our grocery shopping, Sam pointed to a large pile of what looked like overgrown green onions and asked “what are those Dad?”.  “Leeks” I replied. In all innocence he then asked “What are they used for?”  “People eat them.  In soups and salads, mostly” I replied.  What do I know? I am an engineer not a chef.  Then came the inevitable question...  “What do they taste like?”  So how do you answer that?  I mean really? 

If you’re me, you invest a whole dollar and come home with enough leeks to make a couple batches of soup that feed our family of 5 3 hearty lunch meals.  After a little Google research, I came up with a recipe I can fake my way through.  Personally, I like leek and potato soup...

The ingredients hunted and gathered:

3 Leeks, 2 potatoes, half a bud of garlic, 1tsp chicken stock, 1 tbsp flour, ½ l water, 1 l milk, salt and pepper to taste.

A few minutes at the chopping board and the prep is done.

Fry/saute the leeks in the pot till almost clear. Add garlic.  Add the flour and cook for a couple minutes, stirring constantly.  When the flour is cooked, add the potatoes, chicken stock, and milk. Bring to a gentle simmer stirring occasionally.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer until the potatoes are done or until the troops are ready for lunch.  

 Poof!  Lunch is ready.

Must be OK.  Lunch conversation is a bit shy until a bowl or two is empty.....

Sam doesn’t ask many questions in the Pazar anymore though.  Hmmmmm.