Ramps, a/k/a spring garlic or wild leeks, are green, broad leafed scallion look-alike plants. The flavor of this spring allium is pungent, fresh and garlicky with a sweet onion scent. I like to pickle ramps which has the effect of preserving them and extending their short season. Other cooking methots that work well for ramps are steaming, grilling and sauteeing. When applied raw to a dish it must be done in small doses because it tends to overpower any other flavor. The only way I like using raw ramps is juicing the fresh leaves and adding ramp that essence to a nage broth. I like to aerate this broth with a hand blender which makes a cloud-like texture and apperance. My favorite dish is for this green broth a simply steamed rainbow trout which is a mild flavored fish that benefits from the garlicky tasting ramps. In addition neatly manicured spring carrots pocked to the cloud-like broth which makes a picture ready dish.
Every year when ramps are in the house the ramp-perfumed air tickles my nostrills and makes me think of that silky-textured, bright green rainbow-trout dish.
A scent of sweet garlic in the air
Ramps are not culitvated but come
straight out of the woods and therefore need a good rinse under luke-warm water
to wash off soil. I get ramps at the local farmer’s market and don’t remember
seeing them in a supermarket. Cooking with ramps is the essence of seasonal
locavore philosophy since they have a short season and are mainly available at
farmer’s markets. Generally they’re available from mid-April to the end of May.
The sweet scent of ramps becomes evident when you have the opportunity to run
through a ramp laced forest early in the spring season – the air reeks of it.
Ramp Risotto
(recipe yields four entrée sized portions)
8 ramps
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 cups risotto rice such as Vialone Nano rice
1/2 cup white wine such as Pinot Grigio
4 -6 cups water
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper from a mill to taste
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons extra virign olive oil
- Rinse ramps with water and cut roots off and throw out. Chop ramps 1/8-inch wide. Keep the green and white ramp part separate.
- Heat oil in a gallon-sized pot on medium heat setting, add the cut white ramp part and cook for 3 minutes.
- Rinse rice with hot water and drain in a colander – this will wash off some of the natural rice starch. Combine rice with the cooked ramps in the pot and cook for 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. The rice should have a glassy apperance at this point. Add white wine and bring to boil then add 2 cups of water. Cook the rice constantly stirring slowly – this will prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and cooks the rice grains evenly. Keep adding water by the half cup and stirring constanly. The rice will continue to absorb the water and cook to the desired donenness. I like to cook the rice “all dente”, which will take approximatly 25 -30 minutes. This is the point where the individual rice grain still shows a somewhat uncooked center but is ready to be eaten.
- Take the rice off the stove. The rice should have a chili-like texture before adding olive oil, pinenuts, green-cut ramp leaves and cheeese. Stir vigorously and add a few spoonfuls of water to achive that chili-like texture. Serve immediately.
Chef’s Tip: If you like an extra rich risotto add 2-tablespoons of butter at the end.
