Dan Barber's New Onion

Garleek is just what it sounds like

- ELLA QUITTNER

ON A RECENT Sunday afternoon as cold rain coated Brooklyn with mist, a family of three trudged past a soaked cardboard box of miniature pumpkins into the Gowanus Whole Foods. They had come to behold a new onion: Sweet Garleek-championed by chef Dan Barber-the first allium of its kind, a hybrid between garlic and a leek. But unlike traditional leeks, each stalk is a cinch to clean. They look like overgrown scallions and smell like green garlic. When cooked, they're a little grassy, a little buttery.