Like creamed spinach, Creamed Leek Greens are endlessly versatile: delicious as a side dish or stretched with a little pasta water and paired with peas over orecchiette; swirled into a frittata with ricotta cheese; or chilled and spread on crackers. I use ground coriander instead of the more expected nutmeg.

The leek greens give this herbal paste a little bit of heat. Use as you would any pesto. It’s especially good whisked together with a little sharp pickle brine to serve over smashed potatoes or smoked fish.

When blanched, leek greens taste like chives, although they chew like a rubber hose! You need to chop or puree them to eat them. Once you do, you can transform the greens into Dill-and-Leek-Greens Pesto to top crispy potatoes or make into Creamed Leek Greens, a great stand-in for spinach at your next Thanksgiving meal.