Winter time is leek time, and they're a truly versatile vegetable. They have a milder, sweeter flavour than onions and a smooth texture similar to asparagus

Leeks can be cooked in all sorts of different and delicious ways. Try these:

• Pan fried
  Heat a small amount of olive oil and butter in a frying pan, add some sliced leeks and gently cook for about 5-10 minutes until tender.
• Sauteed
  For super-healthy leeks, saute with fennel and garnish with fresh lemon juice and thyme.
• Stir-fried
  Heat a little oil over a high heat in a frying pan or wok, add some prepared leeks and stir-fry for a few minutes.
• Baked
  Place some sliced leeks in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle with cheese or cover with white sauce and bake for 30-40 minutes at 190C.
• Roasted
  Pour some olive oil into a roasting tray and add leeks, making sure they are coated all over. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and roast in the oven (210C) for 30 minutes.
• Braised
  Pour a small amount of chicken or vegetable stock into a frying pan, add some prepared, sliced leeks, cover and gently cook for 10-15 minutes. Braised leeks dusted with fennel or mustard seeds are a delicious accompaniment to fish, poultry or steak.
• Raw
  Spice up a salad by adding finely chopped leeks and dress generously with vinaigrette.

Leeks make an effortlessly easy side dish. Equally, they work wonderfully in a wide variety of recipes such as casseroles, omelettes and frittatas, risottos, quiches, pasta sauces and soups.

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• Source: British Leeks