The humble leek, present in all European cuisines since well before the Middle Ages, was never destined to be used as a mere flavoring for broths and old "herbal" dishes. Le Menagier de Paris, written around 1390, gives a recipe for poree blanche, an ordinary soup without spices and not thick, where the white part of the leek is the main ingredient. The creators of contemporary cuisine continue to find new and delicious ways of preparing leeks.
