a member of the onion family distinguished by its mild, sweet flavour, is beset by the problems of classification which seem to affect the whole family. A traditional and simple solution is to say that Allium ampeloprasum is the wild leek, ancestor of A. porrum, the cultivated leek of Europe. (Note, however, that there are also cultivars of A. ampeloprasum itself, such as the elephant garlic group and one which is important in Afghanistan, namely Gandana (local name gandana). This last may be identical with Tarreh Irani, important in Iran, where tarreh is the common name. These two resemble common chives, although larger and flatter, so are often referred to as Chinese or Persian chives.)
European and Middle Eastern cultivated leeks differ from each other, and, although some authorities would disagree, it is convenient to classify the latter as A. kurrat; the Arabic name for leek is kurrat. The Middle Eastern leek has narrower leaves than the European kind and a distinct, often subdivided bulb. Nevertheless, it tastes like a leek and is used in the same way except that, because its green leaves are less coarse than those of a western leek, these too are eaten.
The leek, presumably the Middle Eastern species, was taken into cultivation by the ancient Egyptians, who bred improved varieties with thicker stems, represented in their tomb paintings. On the northern side of the Mediterranean, both the Greeks and the Romans of classical antiquity were partial to leeks, none more so than the Emperor Nero, who apparently believed that eating them would improve his singing voice, of which he was vain. He consumed such quantities that the people nicknamed him Porrophagus (leek-eater).
Whether because of or in spite of the Emperor's foible, the Romans considered the leek a superior vegetable, unlike onions and garlic which were despised as coarse foods for the poor. This can be seen from the works of Apicius, who gives four recipes for leeks as a vegetable in their own right, while onions are relegated to the role of a minor flavouring and garlic, in tiny quantities, is mentioned only twice. Green leek leaves were used in salads; the bulbous base was cooked; and the plant was also used as a flavouring. The classical leek, even the thicker kind, was thinner in the stem and more onion-like at the bottom than a typical modern leek.
Some have suggested that the Romans may have introduced the leek to Britain and therefore to the Welsh, who subsequently made it their own special vegetable. There is an unverified tradition that Welsh warriors wore leeks in their hats to show which side they were on in a victorious battle against the Saxons in the 7th century, and that that is why the leek is the symbol of Wales. However, all this is highly dubious. In Saxon times the word leac was the generic term for any kind of onion or garlic (gar-leac), and even the more particular name bradeleac (broad leek) was also applied to ramsons (wild garlic). So, if 7th-century Welsh warriors were wearing something called leac it may well have been something different from and much thinner (and more practical as a hat adornment) than the modern leek. The doubt is compounded by statements in early botanical works that the (true) leek did not reach Britain until much later. Whatever the true date was, Gerard (1633) was able to say that the leek was then in common use in England. It was certainly popular all over continental Europe and the Middle East by that time.
The straight white stem of a cultivated leek is produced by earthing it up, which compresses the leaf bases into a cylinder and keeps them white. It is possible to grow very large stems by this method, the limit being about 30 cm (1′) tall and 7 cm (nearly 3″) thick. Very large leeks are grown in Britain, especially in NE England, for competition purposes. For cooks, smaller, more tender leeks are preferable. Apart from their use as a vegetable, leeks are widely used as a base or essential ingredient for soups (such as Vichyssoise and the Scottish cock-a-leekie) and stews (for example the French pot-au-feu). Apart from its mild flavour the leek, being slightly mucilaginous, helps to thicken the liquid.
Although the leek will not grow in the hotter parts of Asia, it is grown and used in N. China. Karen Phillipps and Martha Dahlen (1985) remark that in Peking (Beijing) cuisine, the heart of the leek is served as a condiment for Peking pancakes; ‘it is chopped in thin strips 2–3″ long and rolled with filling and sauce in pancakes to make a meal’.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
Gerard, John (1633), The Herbal, New York: Dover.
Phillipps, Karen, and Dahlen, Martha (1985), A Guide to Market Fruits of Southeast Asia, Hong Kong: South China Morning Post.
