I’m back from California with a sad heart about my mom, but my fist full of beautiful ramps makes me feel a little better. The Union Square Greenmarket had plenty of them on Friday, and I advise you to get to your nearest farmers market first thing on Saturday to get them while they’re fresh and cool.
In case you haven’t jumped headfirst onto the Ramps Bandwagon, ramps are wild leeks. They are lovely and delicate, and their flavor is a mix of onions and garlic, and more gentle than it sounds. You can cook with the bulbs and the tender leaves. They are only available for a short period every year, and so it’s fun to be a part of the frenzy for them. I’m a huge fan.
Usually I make Ramp Butter and freeze it to last for the rest of the year. This year, I thought I’d branch out a bit. GrowNYC has an amazing Recipe Series, which is a collection of free and fabulous seasonal recipes available at the Information Booth in every Greenmarket. Today I picked up this list of great ideas for ramps, and I thought I’d reprint it here:
GrowNYC Recipe Series: 10 Ways to Enjoy Ramps
by David Sherman
Eggs: Add diced ramps to your omelets, quiches, frittatas.
Rotisserie: Skewer and turn ramp over an open flame until nicely charred. Add salt to finish it off.
Roasted: Put ramps in the oven, drizzled with oil and accompanied by some of your other favorite veggies or chicken.
Pesto: Ramps, oil, parmigiano, walnuts as you like. Ramp pesto is a great dip, spread, smear. And you can freeze it.
Pickled: Another great way to extend the ramp season. Pickling ramps is easy and helps make a great martini.
Sautéed: Ramps go great with all sorts of veggie and meat sautés and stir fries. The trick is to cook the bulbs of the ramps first, then add the leaves a bit later.
Grilled: Place ramps across the grill, keep turning them. Wow, doesn’t your burger taste better?
Raw: If you dare.
Soup: Add ramps to chicken soup, vegetable soup, matzo ball soup, tomato soup, tom yum soup, potato soup, won ton soup…just put some ramps in your soup.
Pasta: Not only can you add your ramp pesto to pasta, but ramps are great in tomato and cream sauces.
While we are at it, ramps are also great in mashed potatoes.
OK – Hop on board because the 2014 Ramp Season will be over before we’ve had our fair share!
~Karen Seiger, Markets of New York City