[diggerjoe]

I need to clear the leeks from their bed. Shame they are happy there and nice and fat but we need the space. Is it best to slice, blanch and freeze or is there another way to store them. There are about 35 to dig up and family insist on no more leek soup!

[sclarke624]

My old man eats them raw in salad, they are oniony, I use them if I run out of spring onions and have leek handy.  He eats salad about four times a week rain or shine.

[SnooziSuzi]

I often just use them in place of onions as they have a better flavour IMHO.

Not sure how else you could store them long term though - might be better to share them out amongst friends and neighbours  :happy:

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm no expert, but I think I saw somewhere that you can dig them up and heel them in elsewhere until needed.  I never have enough leeks, so haven't needed to store them yet!!!

[Yorkie]

I asked about freezing leeks and was told to slice, blanch & freeze.  But you could always make batches of L&P soup before freezing, if you have the capacity 

[Stripey_cat]

I slice and freeze without any problems - can anyone explain the obsession with blanching things?

[Kristen]

"dig them up and heel them in elsewhere until needed"

I think, this time of the year rather than Winter, they will start growing to-seed if heeled-in.

For me the season has passed, and the remaining few Leeks I have are for the compost heap ... sorry!

[Yorkie]

As I understand it, blanching destroys bacteria and therefore you can preserve things for longer in the freezer

[Val H]

I slice and freeze without any problems - can anyone explain the obsession with blanching things?

Blanching destroys certain enzymes and bacteria whilst helping to preserve the colour, texture and flavour of the food. It also helps retain vitamin C.

[Briony]

Send them to me I can do something with them

[sunshineband]

I need to clear the leeks from their bed. Shame they are happy there and nice and fat but we need the space. Is it best to slice, blanch and freeze or is there another way to store them. There are about 35 to dig up and family insist on no more leek soup!

Freeze them already cooked - here is our favourite:
Slice and fry in a very small amount of oil until golden around the edges.
Stir in a gloop of double cream until a stodgy, oozinessPu in an over proof shallow dish (can sprinkle with parmesan or other strong chess at this point)
Bake alonside roast spuds for 230 mins until golden & bubbling.

Sometimes I freeze them in portion sizes at the sliced and fried stage. Works a treat and nothing like leek soup 

[David.]

Make some Glamorgan sausages with them and if there's too many to eat freeze the rest. You could always leave a few leeks to go to seed to sow next year.

[wighty]

What about a cheese, leek and potato pie (or pasty).

[celjaci]

You could always leave a few leeks to go to seed to sow next year.

Thats a good suggestion, leeks produce wonderful flowers, typically allium with shades of pink and green.
There rreally attractive to bees and other insects, great as cut flowers fresh or dried, and you could produce your own seed for next year.
leeks are actually perennial so after flowering you will get new shoots produced from the base.

[Stripey_cat]

I slice and freeze without any problems - can anyone explain the obsession with blanching things?

Blanching destroys certain enzymes and bacteria whilst helping to preserve the colour, texture and flavour of the food. It also helps retain vitamin C.

But enzyme and bacterial activity are minimal at -20C (and although chilling can prime bacterial responses, that's not relevant with vegetables that will be quickly cooked from frozen).  If it was something structural, it might make more sense to me.  Has anyone ever tried controlled studies, because I can't tell the difference (except some things that turn out slimy and horrible from the extra round of cooking - if I only cook the veg for a minute at the boil from fresh, a minute blanching plus reheating from frozen equals manky, overcooked veg).  Also, if it were so, why don't we blanch raspberries, for instance?