Ramps – a Rare Wild Treat!
I decided to splurge the other day at our local farmers’ market and buy a little bunch of ramps. The season for these local delicacies is so short that I couldn’t resist – even at $4/bunch (that’s 50 cents each)! The eight little ramps were a perfect side dish for the grilled steak we were having that evening.
The next day my son stopped by and brought me dozens of wild ramps he had plucked from a forest nearby. I had no idea that he even knew what a ramp was, much less where to pick them locally and save a bundle! All of a sudden we had a bumper crop of the beauties in our fridge.
If you’re an allium-lover, enjoying onions, scallions, chives, and garlic, then you will really like ramps. Ramps have broad smooth leaves and a bulb that resembles scallions. The leaves, stalk and bulbs are all edible and taste like a cross between an onion and garlic.
Wild ramps (Allium tricoccum), otherwise known as “wild leeks” grow across much of the eastern U.S. and Canada, and are especially popular in the southern states. Their short season have made them quite a trendy culinary treat in restaurants.
BROILED RAMPS
My favorite way to enjoy ramps is also one of the easiest recipes I know. Quickly broiled ramps make a beautifully elegant side dish for grilled meats or fish.
Directions
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Rinse the ramps and trim any dark flesh from the bulb, remove the roots, being careful not to disturb the bulb end.
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Line the ramps up on a plate (not overlapping so they don’t stick together while cooking) and sprinkle them with a little water. Microwave for about 25 seconds, until just soft.
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Place the ramps on a large piece of aluminum foil. Make sure the ramps all face in the same direction (leaves at the top – bulbs at the bottom).
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Sprinkle the ramps with a little extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper.
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Fold the top part of the foil OVER the leaves – you want to protect the delicate leaves while you quickly broil the bulbs. If the leaves aren’t protected they will quickly burn.
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Broil the ramps in the oven for about 4 minutes – carefully watching so they don’t burn. The bulbs will get a little brown, but the leaves will remain bright green. You could grill the ramps instead of broiling, but you have to be careful to protect the leaves so they don’t stick and char.
PICKLED RAMP BULBS / SAUTÉED GREENS
Homemade pickled ramps are absolutely delicious in martinis – and since we don’t want to waste any part of these rare seasonal vegetables, place the leaves in a vase of water and use within a day as sautéed ramp greens.
Rinse 2 pounds of ramps and trim any dark flesh from the bulb, and remove the roots, being careful not to disturb the bulb end. Cut off the bulb ends, leaving one-inch of stem attached to the bulb.
In a saucepan, combine:
2 cups water
1 cup red wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
With a mortar and pestle (or in a small plastic bag), light crush together:
1¼ teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds
1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns
Add the spices to the liquid and bring to a boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes, continuously stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the ramp bulbs to the saucepan and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store the ramps and liquid in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Serve martinis with a pickled ramp bulb instead of an onion. The little stems make it easy to grab and enjoy! I’ve heard that the pickling liquid also makes a delicious “dirty ramp martini”!
SAUTÉED RAMP GREENS
I don’t want to waste any part of the ramps, so after pickling the ramp bulbs I place the greens in a glass of water until dinner – sort of a ramp bouquet.
To sauté the greens, slice them crosswise into half-inch strips and gently sauté them in a little olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add a dash of salt and pepper and you’re done!
Since the ramp leaves sauté down to just a little portion these work especially well as a topping for grilled fish!