Food - Beat the WInter Blues with alliums

by Nicola Galloway
Alliums, otherwise known as the onion family, include onions, leeks, garlic, and chives. With over 800 species, the onion family is one of the largest plant families in the world and includes many flowering bulbs we enjoy in the spring.

A staple ingredient of many winter meals, onions, garlic, and leeks are bursting with immune boosting qualities. Also containing antibiotic and antiviral properties, they help keep winter colds and flu’s at bay. Garlic, in particular, stimulates circulation, just what we need to keep our extremities (fingers and toes) warm during the cooler months. To add to the package they also contain sulfur – a mineral and antioxidant which fights free radicals and other body baddies that can contribute to disease. So keep the alliums rolling into winter meals to give your immune system a boost.

Alliums can be grown in a home garden with little effort. Onions and leeks can be sown from seed in seed trays to be transplanted, though you can also buy a punnet of seedlings that will provide a large crop of onions or leeks. It is important to trim the long white root of the shoots back to a few centimeters to speed growth. You will need a decent sized garden bed to get a large crop of onions, which can also be bought locally inexpensively. So if you are limited for garden space save it for a plot of garlic.

Traditionally planted on the shortest day – 21st June – you can still plant garlic into early July. Select several large, locally grown garlic bulbs – commercial garlic from the supermarket may not sprout, especially if it is imported. Push single cloves, tail up, 5cm deep into well-composted soil. Plant about 10-15cm apart, water, and mulch with straw. When the first shoots start to appear, feed with a good organic fertilizer once a month. Again, traditionally garlic is harvested on the shortest day – 22nd December. If planted late you can leave it in the ground till mid-January to increase bulb size. Once harvested cure in a warm place for several days then hang to dry for several weeks before using.

If gardening isn’t your thing, not a problem, as locally grown garlic is readily available. Look out for large, dry bulbs from small growers at local farmers’ markets. Make sure they have been well dried if you want them to last through the winter. On a commercial scale, Marlborough is one of the largest garlic growing regions in New Zealand, producing over 400 tonnes per annum. Marlborough garlic is available from many supermarkets around the region – ask the produce manager if the label doesn’t state it. With plenty of garlic to go around, there is no excuse for the cheap Chinese garlic showing up in our supermarkets. Marlborough, and other locally grown garlic, has a far superior flavour compared to the imported variety. Though it might be cheap, you will need to use more to get the strong, pungent flavour and smell garlic is renowned for. Be proud of your garlic breath at least you will be healthy!

A few allium tips:
- Store onions and garlic in a cool, dry place through the winter to prevent sprouting.
- Easily remove skin from garlic cloves by squashing under the flat of a knife. The skin will then simply peel away.
- When chopping garlic add a generous pinch of salt and chop to a paste. This enhances the flavour of the garlic, releasing the rich oils.
- Clean leeks by cutting in half lengthways and hold under running water washing away the dirt lurking in the layers.
- To avoid crying when chopping onions leave the shoot end intact as much as possible as this where the cry-inducing chemicals live (or wear goggles!).

Leeks in white sauce
Other than adding to soups and stews, a delicious way to prepare leeks is simply steaming until al dente bringing out their sweet and delicate flavour.

Ingredients
2-3 medium leeks
50g butter
4 Tbs flour
Approx 2 cups milk
Salt and pepper

Method
• Clean the leeks and cut them into 2cm rounds. Steam over a pot of boiling water until just tender.
• Make the white sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and mix together to make a roux (paste). Cook over a gentle heat for one minute.
• Add a small amount of milk, whisking vigorously to remove any lumps. Continue adding a little milk at a time whisking constantly. Simmer gently to cook off the flour, adding extra milk if needed until a thick sauce is achieved.
• Fold though the cooked leeks. Serve immediately with garlic studded roast lamb and garlic mashed potatoes.