With a little too much time on my hands one evening, and the second glass of red slipping down easily, I sat at my desk pondering the imponderable.

For example, what possessed someone in ancient times to gaze at a cow and think, "I'm gonna squeeze those dangly bits and have a drink of whatever comes out"?

If Looney Tunes Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that Acme stuff, why didn't he just buy himself dinner?

If quizzes are quizzical, then what are tests?

And then, from nowhere came the truly esoteric question: why do the Welsh have a leek as their national symbol? Even for an eccentric bunch like them it's a pretty strange thing, and a rotten bit of luck. The Austrians got a fierce black eagle, the Kenyans fighting lions. We Australians got a kangaroo and an emu, but even that's better than a vegetable!

Legend has it that in the late 600's King Cadwaladr was repelling a Saxon invasion and, fearing his men could not tell friend from foe, advised his troops to attach a leek to their helmets as a point of notable distinction. As it happened, the Welsh won the day, and the Saxons were driven back into the sea.

I must wonder, however, if they were braver and more fearsome, or if the Saxons simply couldn't fight as they were buckled over in laughter.

Regardless of its pedigree, the leek is a fabulous ingredient, and we are just on the cusp of the best season. In particular you'll find the small pencil leeks that are so very delicate and beautiful. Cook leeks gently, as their onion-garlic-cucumber aroma is sensitive to scorching. Butter is always the best medium for sautéing, as it brings out the soft sweetness that underscores the taste.

What's more (unlike with the large leeks) you can eat the whole of the pencil variety, green part and all, as it hasn't had time to become bitter. Given that you'll pay a premium for pencil leeks, you want to use as much of them as possible. But the most important thing is to wash them well before use as dirt tends to get trapped in between the layers.

Go to Fast Ed's Leek and Tomato Tarts recipe.

See all of Fast Ed's recipes.

This article was kindly provided by Fast Ed. It first appeared in The Manly Daily.