Leek is an amazing culture that, if grown independently, can be eaten fresh, pickled, dried and even salted. It can also be added to various dishes to enrich the taste and increase the benefits. Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant can be grown in any climatic zones. Harvesting and storage of leeks is quite simple, and the benefits and amounts of vitamins and elements contained are not comparable to any other plant culture.
Important! The diuretic action causes a high content of potassium salts in the leek. The use of a fresh vegetable with urolithiasis and inflammation of the ureter is contraindicated.
Features and characteristics of leek
Leek is a group of onion plants. As an addition to dishes, it was also used in the culinary of ancient Egypt and Greece, it is also mentioned in ancient Jewish recipes. The plant was first cultivated in the Roman Empire, after which it began to be in wide demand among the population of different layers. The homeland of leek is considered the eastern regions of the Mediterranean. The height of the ripened plant is 0.40–0.90 m. The color of the leaves depends on the variety and may have a clear green or blue-green hue.
Flowers in the form of an umbrella of white or pinkish color. The bulb is elongated. Reproduction is carried out using seeds. Leek contains a lot of protein. The aroma is due to the essential oils that make up the composition. In addition to disulfide and polysulfide oils, the plant has a high percentage of sugar, protein, potassium, carotene, iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium, B vitamins, PP and C, as well as other nutrients, which indicates its beneficial properties.
Did you know? The Roman emperor Nero believed that the consumption of leek in large quantities beneficially affects the preservation of his vocal cords and makes it possible to conduct a long speech. In those days, the culture was called "feeding leek."
The essential oils that make up the leek affect the increase in appetite, regulate the intestines, favorably affect the functionality of the liver and gall bladder. Leek has a diuretic effect and cleanses the blood. It is recommended for rheumatism and gout. It has the greatest benefit after full maturity. When to harvest the onion and how to store it, it is easy to understand, you should only familiarize yourself with some recommendations.
Onion Harvest Features
The time for collecting leeks from the beds depends on the variety of culture. It is time to harvest early ripening plants in the summer. The green part is recommended to be used immediately, since it is not suitable for long-term storage. Medium varieties ripening after 4–5 months are harvested in autumn. There are even some varieties of leek that are not afraid of freezing and tolerate temperatures well up to -7 ° C. Leek, like other vegetables, should be dug up only after full maturity. Only then can it be subjected to long-term storage.
Signs of maturity
The maturity of leeks can be determined by its appearance. Obvious signs when to remove the bow:
- The dried onion neck. In a mature vegetable, the neck is dry, thinned, yellowish or characteristic of a particular variety of color.
- Lost feathers. A plant can be considered completely ready for collection if its leaves have died and become yellow. But in rainy periods, this feature may not be observed.
- The presence of dry protective flakes. At the matured leek, the outer scales rustle, and they can be easily separated from the bulb.
Did you know? In leeks, ascorbic acid continues to accumulate during storage. Compared with the initial indicators for the collection of bulbs, its percentage may increase by more than one and a half times. No other culture can boast of such a feature.
Collection technology
Before you dig onions, you must completely stop watering. With the drying of the soil, the root system will dry out and an outer shell will form - flakes. Cleaning should be carried out in dry weather. The whole harvest is dug up and left to dry in the garden. Leek should be under the sun until homogeneous golden scales form and the stem dries completely. If the weather is cloudy and rains are expected, the crop should be moved under a canopy or in a ventilated area.
Here the culture should be until completely dry. When to remove leeks, if by external signs it is completely ready for collection, but prolonged rains are predicted, the gardener must decide for himself. If heavy rains are a frequent occurrence in your area, you should follow the nearest forecast.
When observing the lethargy of the lateral leaves of the onion, you should manually lay all the feathers so that they break at the base. In this state, the plant should be on the bed until the last. Before the onset of rains, it is time to urgently harvest the entire crop and place it under a canopy for further drying. Then damaged, not ripened and poorly dried specimens are separated, and a good onion is sent for long-term storage.
Preparing onions for storage
A properly harvested crop will affect not only the taste of the ripened vegetable, but also the possibility of long-term storage. If the harvesting rules are not followed, its spoilage may occur within a few months, or even weeks. Interestingly, you can store not only the leek head, but also its feathers separately.
Important! Re-freezing leeks is strictly prohibited, since the vegetable loses its nutritional value and is deformed.
For long-term storage and consumption of leek throughout the winter, follow the following preparatory steps:
- after harvesting the onion, it must be cleaned from the ground;
- the roots are partially cut so as not to damage the bulb;
- the leaves cannot be cut, since after that their accelerated wilting is observed. Cut sheets are more susceptible to wilting and various diseases. Only damaged or heavily soiled feathers should be trimmed. The slice level of the sheet is two-thirds of the head.
Storage methods
Leek can be stored in different ways and in different forms. Dried leek is subject to the longest storage, and onions contained at room temperature have the smallest shelf life.
At room temperature
Storage at room temperature lasts no more than one week. It is necessary to collect from 5 to 10 bulbs in one bunch, then place them in a plastic bag with pre-made holes for ventilation. Beneficial substances are preserved, but not for a long time.
In the refrigerator compartment
In the refrigerator compartment, leeks can be stored for 14 days. Its taste qualities are not lost. The temperature of the intermediate chamber should be +1 ... + 3 ° С.
Drying
By drying the leek, you can save a long time. You can use only onion heads, previously crushed into medium-sized rings. Sliced leeks are spread on a sieve and dried in an oven or oven for 4 hours at + 60 ° C. The treated plant is placed in a glass sealed container. If necessary, onion feathers are dried separately and used as dressing for dishes.
Freezing
Before freezing, leeks are thoroughly washed, dried and cut into ringlets about 3 cm thick. Pieces of the vegetable are laid in polyethylene and hermetically fixed. The thickness of the filled bag should be no more than 5 cm. It is recommended that the leek be placed in the freezer in small portions. Thus, you can stock up on vegetables for the whole winter.
Recommendations for use
Leek is a universal culture that can be eaten raw, used as seasoning and cook full-fledged dishes based on it. In French cuisine, it is added not only to broths and mashed vegetables, but also to dough and some types of hard cheeses. Compared to ordinary onions, leek has a pleasant aroma and a delicate sweet taste.
Despite the absence of clear contraindications, fresh leek is not recommended to eat in large quantities for people with acute inflammatory processes. Adding leek to even the simplest dishes, you can give them a special piquancy and new taste. The vegetable does not require special care and easily takes root in different climatic zones, and different storage options allow its use all year round.
