Whole leeks on a white background - Creativ Studio Heinemann/Getty Images Leeks are a vegetable from the allium family -- think of them as the long, elegant cousin of onions, shallots, and garlic.

For the taste of mild, sweet onions straight from the garden in late autumn, grow leeks. Leeks have longer, thicker stems than onions, but no bulb. They are traditionally used to flavor soups and ...