Leeks The edible portions of the leek are the white onion base and light green stalk. The onion-like layers form around a core. The tender core may be eaten; but, as the leek ages, the core becomes woody and very chewy and better replanted than eaten. Leek has a mild onion-like taste, although less bitter than scallion. The taste might be described as a mix of mild onion and cucumber. It has a fresh smell similar to scallion. In its raw state, the vegetable is crunchy and firm. Leek is typically chopped into slices 5-10mm thick. The slices have a tendency to fall apart, due to the layered structure of the leek. There are different ways of preparing the vegetable: Boiled, which turns it soft and mild in taste. Fried, which leaves it more crunchy and preserves the taste. Raw, which can be used in salads, doing especially well when they are the prime ingredient. A traditional Welsh cawl (a form of soup) is made with leek; the cawl is made using root vegetables such as swede, carrots and potatoes and different meats. Lamb is the most popular. Cawl has been enjoyed by the nation since the 14th century and has great significance to the ancient Welsh King Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. Leeks are an ingredient of cock-a-leekie soup, leek and potato soup and vichyssoise, along with leek soup. Because of their symbolism in Wales (see below), they have come to be used extensively in that country’s cuisine, while in the rest of Britain leeks have only come back into favour in the last fifty years or so, having been overlooked for several centuries