Cooking with ramps (wild leeks)

[Ma_Jie]

Hi guys.

As ramps are currently in season, I've been cooking up quite a storm with them. I love making pesto with them, for example.

I simply chop them up (after a thorough washing!) and bash them up with some salt, pepper, parmigiano reggiano, and extra-virgin olive oil in my mortar and pestle. And it works beautifully on both pasta and salads. For instance, I'll make an Insalata di Farro con Verdure in Scapece (Farro Salad with roasted, marinated veg) and then top it with a few dollops of the pesto and some additonal pine nuts.

For pasta, they pair exceptionally well with goat cheese. After tossing the pesto with some penne tonight, I crumbled a little Tournevant chevre over the top, and it was spectacular.

Ramps, very lightly blanched, also pair excellently with scallops and nice, spring asparagus.

Cheers,

JiE

P.S. I can't really give recipes for these uses because I cook a lot of the time by the eye. Nonetheless, for my basic pesto, I use 4 bunches of trimmed ramps.

[almostfreeman]

Are you buying them somewhere or are you digging them from your lot?

[Ma_Jie]

I've been buying them at the St. Lawrence Market.

They have a most incredible flavour, and being wild, of course, they only grow in certain areas.

- JiE

P.S. After doing a little research, they occur in Canada in Quebec and are somewhat rare -- which would certainly explain their hefty price!

[fugazi11]

We just picked some up as well from the market. If I'm not mistaken my wife mentioned the latest LCBO food and drink has some good Ramp recipes.

[Keelie]

I've never even heard of them before.

[fiscal-rick]

Ramps - are abundant in Ottawa and in Ontario and Quebec and North Eastern US in General. Although they are illegal to harvest (commercially) in Quebec. They often grow in ravines and other cool damp areas in the spring. Often called wild garlic or wild leeks, ramps are great to cook with, I enjoy them with another spring treat - fiddleheads.

In Vermont I believe they even have a ramp festival somewhere.

If your in Ottawa and you want to try them, Juniper kitchen usually has them on the menu this time of year (though there are no deals when it comes to the bill $$ at that joint), and some stalls in the byward market sell them. Though they are usually operated by french speaking fruit stand operators who are glancing back and forth and selling them as if they fear they will be arrested at any moment. . . I wonder if they harvest them on the Quebec side of the river? lol.

[almostfreeman]

I enjoy them with another spring treat - fiddleheads.



I love to eat wild foraged food. Fiddleheads just aren't the same by the time they make it to market, but they are sum good fresh.

[nalababe]

I love to eat wild foraged food. Fiddleheads just aren't the same by the time they make it to market, but they are sum good fresh.

Actually the fiddleheads fresh this time of year at the stores are not much different than what you harvest...I have eaten both. You also don't risk eating anything but the edible ferns as there are many species that are quite toxic...

[raptorfan]

is St Lawrence Mkt the only place to get them? I've wanted to try them, but I'm out in the crappy 'burbs and don't see me getting downtown anytime soon. What's their "hefty" price?

[Ma_Jie]

fugazi: thanks for the tip about the LCBO mag!

raptorfan: they're $3/bunch or 2 for $5, which is pretty expensive -- though I don't particularly care -- given the weight of each bunch.

Cheers,

JiE

[scan]

How about some pics ?

[Ma_Jie]

scan: google is your friend, bud. Nonetheless, check here:

http://www.tasteto.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/wild-leek.jpg

[fugazi11]

Made a Ramp themed meal for my wife last night for mothers day. Ramp and potato soup to start and a ramp risotto for the main. Found the risotto an excellent showcase for the ramps and will be a staple in the diet at this time of year for many years to come. They aren't cheap to buy but really they aren't that expensive when I compared to what I would normally pay for some different mushrooms and truffle oil when making risotto.

Highly recommend trying before the season is up. I believe the vegetable stand at the bottom of the st lawrence market (south side) always has them.

[Ma_Jie]

fugazi: do you have a recipe for the ramp & potato soup? And I'm with regarding the price: white truffle oil -- and black truffle paste -- are far more costly at $30/btl & $20/jar, respectively.

Cheers,

J.