Vineyard wild leek ✦

Poireau des vignes

What it is

Around the Gard and the Hérault it is called baragane, and it is pulled from between the vine rows from February until the flower stalk shows in April. Only untreated parcels are worth walking: the plant is a perennial bulb sitting in the ground all year and takes up whatever has been sprayed on the vines above it.

In the kitchen

The tender white base is the whole point — boil it eight to ten minutes, dress it with mustard vinaigrette while it is still steaming, and serve warm with a hard-boiled egg. The green tops stay fibrous whatever you do; keep them for stock.

Goes with

Egg Olive oil Red wine vinegar Anchovy Walnut oil Dijon mustard

Same species

Arleux smoked garlic Banana shallot Black garlic Calçot Cévennes sweet onion Chives

In season alongside

Blood orange Cabbage Cherimoya Green garlic Hoshigaki Jackfruit

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