Leek

Leek (Allium ampeloprasum subsp. Ampeloprasum )

Leek (Allium ampeloprasum leek group, Syn Allium porrum ), and leeks, broad leek, leek, Welsh onion, Common leeks, Spanish leeks, Aschlauch called meat leek, is a cultivar group of originating from the Mediterranean Ackerl Auchs (Allium ampeloprasum ). This vegetable belongs to the Allium genus in the subfamily of the leek plants ( Allioideae ).

• 4.1 Cultivation and Harvesting
• 4.2 Pests and diseases

• 5.1 Kitchen
• 5.2 ingredients

Description

Features

It is a biennial herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of 60 to 80 cm. Leek has no onion, but the natural form has a tuber. The linealischen to lanceolate leaves are 1-5 cm wide.

The inflorescence is on a smooth inflorescence stem and has a sheeted, langgeschnäbelte envelope, which is longer than the large, globular, Vielblütige, doldige inflorescence. The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry. The white to light purple bracts are 4.5 to 5 mm long and 2 to 2.3 mm wide. Are formed ovoid capsule fruits. Sometimes in inflorescence bulbils are formed.

Language

In the 1970s, the German-speaking mainly the designation " leek " is used only in German-speaking Switzerland, in Baden- Württemberg, Saarland, Rhineland -Palatinate, in southern Hesse and scattered in Austria and the western Bavaria was the term " leek " common. The term " leek " but has spread in recent decades and is now almost as common as " leek ".

Origin and History

The leek is a cultural form of Ackerl Auchs (Allium ampeloprasum ), which occurs wild in the Mediterranean region and is cultivated in various forms. Leek was known by 2100 BC. The Sumerian ruler Ur-Nammu had him grow in the gardens of the city of Ur. In ancient Egypt, was leek in use. He is said to have the workers who built the pyramids, served as food. Then leek was valued in ancient times throughout the Mediterranean region. From the Roman Emperor Nero is reported to have the leeks preferred due to the mustard oil contained. Because of this passion Nero was referred to as " Porrophagus " ( leek eater ). Leek was so holy that he gave the name of an old Germanic rune in the ritual. Probably the leek came in the Middle Ages from Italy to Central Europe. In the British Isles, he was reportedly used by the British king Cadwallader to 640 as a badge of his troops.

Trivial names

More in part only regional common names for the leeks are or were: Aesch leeks, bieslook ( Low German ), Biramsam ( Middle High German ), Bolle (Brandenburg), Borren (Brandenburg), Burrä (Oldenburg ), Bolle (Brandenburg), Burchon ( Oberhessen ), Burri (Mecklenburg, Jever ) Burrei ( Butjerden ), Burren ( Altmark), burro ( Pomerania ), Fristlich (Erzgebirge), overhead hole ( middle High German ), Kil ( middle Low German ), Läuchel ( middle High German ), Lauchekyl, Loek ( middle Low German ) Lok ( middle Low German ), Look (Oldenburg, Ostfriesland ), parish, Pforisamo ( middle High German ), Pharren ( middle High German ), Phorro ( middle High German ), Phorsame, pore ( Transylvania), Pork ( middle High German ), Porlok ( middle High German ), Porsam, Prei (Oldenburg, Ostfriesland ), Pries leeks, pinch punch, ProE (Lübeck ) and Slauch.

Use

Cultivation and harvesting

Leek is still grown mainly in the Mediterranean and in Europe, with a focus in North Rhine -Westphalia is located in Germany. The cultivation of varieties for harvest in the fall or winter is done by sowing in a seedbed free- March-April and usually transplant to the final location between the end of May / beginning of June to end of July. For the purpose of harvesting leeks already in the period June to August / September, the seeds are sown in a cold greenhouse from early January until early March; the seedlings thus obtained are planted between late March and late May in the open land. When transplanting are employed depending on the desired plant density the leek seedlings in row spacings of 30 to 50 cm and plant spacing 10-15 cm. The plant density per hectare varies between 200,000 and 100,000 plants at early varieties plants in winter varieties. The yield is winter varieties by 25 tonnes per hectare. Due to the high frost hardiness of most leek varieties for winter cultivation these can often remain on the field over the winter.

Diseases and Pests

The most important and most of all quality -reducing pests are Zwiebelthrips ( Thrips tabaci ), which can be silver-gray leaves by sucking operation, and the leek moth ( Acrolepiopsis assectella ) which eats holes in leaf and leek to call. Less common pests are Zwiebelminierfliege and onion fly. The fungal diseases are leek rust (Puccinia allii ), the decrease due to rusty " pustules ", paper spot disease (Phytophthora porri ) by paper-like discoloration of the leaves and growth loss and purple blotch (Alternaria porri ) by its leaf blight the quality or make leeks for sale. More rarely occurs and the fungus Samtfleckenkrankheit ( Cladosporium allii ), the viral disease Gelbstreifigkeit ( leek yellow stripe virus = LYSV, shallot latent virus = SLV, or garlic latent virus = GLV ) leeks, which may be caused by several viruses. It is important to rotation systems, which prevents the buildup of increased pest population in a field or in a region. This can be counteracted by something in the house garden with mixed cultures. In this case, neighboring plants play a certain role. One important factor here is the allelopathy. Reduce Cheap neighbors such as endive, strawberry, chamomile, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, carrot, salsify, celery and tomato, bad neighbor plants such as beans, peas and beetroot can promote growth and disease pressure.

Use

Kitchen

Leek is used both as a vegetable (usually leek ) as well as a cooking spice (usually summer leek ); you can eat it as a vegetable or salad cold or warm. Along with carrots and celery leek is used as a spice in soups as so-called greens. Further use is also found as leek pie in cold and hot design.

Leek leads in digestion - similar to onions - to bloating.

Ingredients

Leek contains inter alia vitamin C, vitamin K, and folic acid as well as the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium and the trace elements of iron and manganese. The sulfur compound propanethial -S- oxide, which arises from Isoalliin and the catalyzing enzyme allinase, causing the intense smell and flavor of leeks. The sulfoxide Cycloalliin also occurs in various Allium.

Cultural reception

A collection of short stories Arno Schmidt from 1959 bears the title "Roses and leek ".