Leeks are a unique and delicious vegetable to add to any stir fry. They have a light, sweet onion flavor and are often paired with pork or chicken. Leeks can usually be found in the produce section of your local grocery store. Choose leeks that have firm white stalks and unblemished dark green leaves. Leeks tend to have a lot of dirt between their layers, so you want to make sure they are properly cut and cleaned before adding them to you final dish. The recipe below describes exactly how to cut and clean this delicious vegetable. Enjoy!

1 large leek
2 lbs lean pork
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp peanut oil
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tsp soy sauce
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp cornstarch

1. Start by preparing the leek. First cut the base off of the white part of the leek and discard it. Then cut off the dark green top leaves and save them for either rice wrappers or soup.


2. Next cut the remaining part of the leek into thin rings. These rings tend to have quite a bit of dirt in between them, so we need to be sure to clean them thoroughly. Break the rings apart and put them in a large bowl of water. Swish the rings around in the water and then let them sit for about 5 minutes. The dirt that is on the leek rings will fall to the bottom of the bowl while the leeks will float to the top. Slowly remove the cleaned leeks with a slotted spoon and set them aside.


3. Remove all the fat from the pork and cut it into quarter inch to half inch cubes. Sprinkle these cubes with just 1 teaspoon of the ground ginger.


4. In a large non stick pot or wok heat the peanut oil on high. Add the pork and stir fry it for about 8 minutes or until brown. To brown the pork quickly, let it sit for about 2 minutes and then stir it and let it sit another 2 minutes. Continue this until it is completely browned. If you find that there is a lot of water in your pork as you stir fry it, simply drain it in between or use an absorbent paper towel to soak up the excess liquid.


5. Once the pork is browned, add the leeks and stir fry for 2 minutes.


6. Add the wine, chicken broth, soy, salt, and the remaining teaspoon of ground ginger and bring everything to a boil.


7. In a small cup mix together the cornstarch with just a little water to dissolve. Add this mixture to the pot and stir until thick.


8. Serve with white rice. Makes 2 generous servings.