Leeks

Leeks

Leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.) is a biennial monocotyledon herbaceous plant, traditionally classified in the Liliaceae family, which the modern APG classification places among the Amaryllidaceae.

Leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.) is a biennial monocotyledon herbaceous plant, traditionally classified in the Liliaceae family, which the modern APG classification places among the Amaryllidaceae.

The leaves are opposite of dark green or yellowish green color which are carried grouped to form a sort of pseudo-stem.

The flowers are greenish white, formed by three pieces and carried in an umbel inflorescence at the end of a floral scape that develops in the second year of the plant’s life.

Leek is a vegetable. The edible part is represented by the basal part of the leaves (the white part), while the green apical part of the leaves is commonly discarded.
The variety Allium ampeloprasum var. kurrat commonly called kurrat is grown in Egypt and the Middle East. It is widely used in Arab and Maghreb cuisine mainly for the leaves.

In traditional Chinese medicine and macrobiotics, leek is considered a warming food