Leeks look like jumbo scallions, and they belong to the same onion-garlic family. Between their deep green tops and hairy roots, you’ll find the white and light green parts that make good eating. Leeks can be thinly sliced and eaten raw, but they’re more commonly boiled or sautéed. If you marinate boiled leeks in a vinaigrette, they make a tasty appetizer all by themselves, or combined other ingredients in a salad. You can brush blanched leeks with a little olive oil and throw them on the grill.

The key to a positive leek experience is merciless cleaning because they tend to collect dirt between their layers as they grow. To remove it, cut the leeks in half lengthwise and hold them under cold running water while you separate the layers. Then dry them well between paper towels and use as you wish.

Go for leeks with fresh-looking, firm greens and non-bulging white parts no more than 1 inch in diameter. Don’t buy leeks with brown or slimy spots or yellowed, wilted, limp green parts.

When you get your leeks home, wrap them in a damp paper towel and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper for up to 1 week.

Trufflehead’s Turnip Silk Soup contains leeks, and here’s a new recipe (not in the app yet) that also calls for them:

Servings: 6

Time: > 60 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Double Celery Soup

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 cups chopped celery with leaves (about 1 bunch), preferably organic
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, sliced (2 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1 medium celery root (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
• Minced flat-leaf parsley, optional

1. Place a large (5-quart) saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add the oil. When hot, add the celery and leek. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer.

2. Add the celery root, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 30 minutes, until celery root is very soft.

3. Remove from heat and transfer in small batches to a blender. Remove the center ingredients cap from the blender lid. Process on “stir” 15 seconds to allow steam to escape. Then replace the cap and increase the speed to “puree”; process until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan or heat-proof container. Repeat until all of the soup is pureed. Taste, and add the sugar if desired. If too thick, add more broth to reach desired consistency. Serve immediately, sprinkled with minced parsley, if desired.

Per serving: 87 calories, 6 g total fat, 1 mg saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 total carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 8 g protein, 354 mg sodium.