With a more delicate and sweeter flavour than onions, leeks add a subtle touch to recipes without overpowering the other flavours. Although leeks are available throughout the year they are in season from autumn through the early part of spring when they are at their best. Leeks can be used in soups or as a vegetable dish in their own right, for example as buttered leeks, a Scottish favourite, where the leeks are cooked slowly and gently in their own juice. The dark green portion is usually discarded because it has a tough texture, but it can be sautéed or added to stock.