Leek Cleaning

Cut off the hairy part of the root end. To clean whole leeks, start about 1 inch above the root end and slice the leek lengthwise to the end. If the leek is large, slice lengthwise into quarters. Swish in a sink or bowl of warm water to release the grit. If you’re going to slice the leek crosswise into rounds, go ahead and do that, and then place the rounds in a strainer and swish under warm tap water. Blot dry with paper towels.