Green Onions & Leeks Category

Green onions can be eaten raw, or stir-fried or grilled. Cooks usually use the white part (minus the root, which is discarded) and the pale green portion of the leaves, though the dark-green portion of the leaves are edible and, when chopped, make a colorful garnish.

Leeks, too, can be eaten raw, but they're more often cooked. Use just the white and pale green portions--the dark green leaves are thick and tough.

Store these in the crisper section of your refrigerator.

Varieties:

calcot

This is a large, Spanish variety of green onion.

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green onion

These are onions that have small bulbs and long green stalks. They're usually eaten raw, but you can also grill or sauté them. Some people also use the term green onions to refer to onion tops, shallot tops and young leeks.

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leek

Leeks look like large green onions, and they have a more complex onion flavor. They're often cooked as a vegetable side dish, or used in soups. Be sure to wash them thoroughly before cooking as the leaves are notorious for collecting dirt.

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ramps

These have a strong onion-garlic flavor which tends to linger on the breath. Despite their humble Appalachian origins, ramps tend to be pricey and are usually found in gourmet produce markets. They're available from March to June.

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rocambole

This is more like a leak than a garlic and shouldn't be confused with rocambole garlic.

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spring onion

Some people use the name spring onion as a synonym for green onion, while others use it to refer to a green onion with a partially formed bulb.

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