Each year in April, those of us here in the Northeast kick off the local and seasonal eating brouhaha with a little chat about ramps. If you live in the west or the south and have been nibbling on strawberries and clementines for months, you probably consider yourself lucky, or at least you should. But one thing you might be missing out on are these nose-opening little wild onions.
What To Do With Ramps
Ramps actually grow in much of the U.S., up into Canada. There are big ramp festivals in West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. But it is the sheer lack of anything else edible coming from the ground in the more northern climates that makes ramps such a cause for celebration.
Ramps are essentially wild leeks with tiny white bulbs and long, tender greens. They have a very pungent, onion-y flavor and fragrance. Most people who have tried them, love them, but there are a few fervent anti-ramp people out there.
I bought some last weekend at Mountain Sweet Berry's cheery ramp stand at the Union Square Greenmarket here in New York City. I chopped them cross-wise, sautéed them in butter then tossed them with some tiny roasted potatoes from the same stand.
They pair beautifully with eggs, potatoes, and anything creamy (like a cream-based soup). Treat them gently, use both the green and the white part (everything but the nubby root end) and cook them lightly. Butter or olive oil are both fine fats for ramp-cooking, a tablespoon or so for every cup of chopped ramps.
Some Rampage on The Kitchn:
• Pecan Crusted Salmon with Sautéed Ramps and Purple Potatoes
• Spaghetti with Ramps
• Pickled Ramps
(Top image: Nina Callaway, second image: Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan, both for TheKitchn.com)
Comments (11)
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They are also awesome mixed into a potato gratin.
view ren's profile
I sauteed mine and tossed them into an arugula and dandelion green salad, with some orange segments, all as a side for a juicy steak :) the ramps added an awesome earthy tone to all of it; which i love with steak...
view MikeyV's profile
Uncanny timing, I just bought ramps the other day and am pickling them this afternoon.
view Kathryn Hill's profile
There are big ramp festivals in West Virginia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
...and north carolina. :)
view abigailbelle's profile
I've made a pesto with the greens (pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil) which I've spead on crackers with goats cheese and tossed with pasta and/or beans. I also made a soup with a base of leeks and potatoes. The recipe is here: http://lespetitpois.blogspot.com/2008/02/encore-potage-et-encore-ail-more-soup.html
Shira
view shiras's profile
Ha! I live in Southern California and we've had "months of strawberries and clementines" and we get ramps too!
Yum. I love them pickled. I modify a recipe in the Zuni cookbook which requires 3 blanchings. It helps a lot with preserving their texture so it makes the extra work worth it. And they produce a lovely sweet brine that is great in salad.
view JudiAU's profile
i too got my ramps from that stand in nyc. haven't done anything with them yet, but it's so nice to see them there.
i just wish we had ramps more than four weeks out of the year. :/
view the chuck's profile
You can make a kimchi with it.
Also, ramp pancake with some seafood is really good, too.
it's better than a scallion pancake.
view injoooo's profile
Yum! Two stands at Union Square had them today. Can't wait to start eating them!
I'm dreaming up a ramp-and-goat cheese sandwich to finish up National Grilled Cheese month...
Would also love to make a soup...
view maggie (p/c)'s profile
Where can I find ramps in Boston???
Has anyone ever seen them?
view shayna's profile
Weird... I live in San Francisco and I've never even heard of these...
view madchaka's profile