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Another dinner from a while back: This was during ramp season around May: friday night, my buddy came over and we helped him prep for a ramp dinner he was cooking the following evening.. We made together a ramp ravioli, a ramp chimchurri, a ramp pesto, pickled ramps and a few other things.. With the left over potato filling used for the ravioli, we made gnocchi. I had mussels and chorizo in the house and it made for a good combo. Basically, in the same pan of wine and butter that I made Miss K's pork chop, i added onions, chorizo and then mussels. Once that opened up, added butter and a punch of parm, a little paprika. we were having "a discussion" on the size of the gnocchi. i kept coming by and cutting his in half. Finished dish... It was freaking awesome.. the potato filling was potatoes with ramps and garlic. one of the better things I have had in recent memory Here was the ravioli.. we froze it. he then had to go on like a hike and prepare this via campfire. i was nervous it wasn't going to make it but, it did... this was one of several trays. Saturday night, i made red snapper with arugula salad and we had leftover gnocchi: i grilled 4 minutes a side, covered in tin foil and added garlic, tomato, parsley and wine. covered an baked for 10 minutes.. served with arugula salad <a sunday dinner was spaghetti with the leftover pasta dough. butter, sage, scallion and bacon. My father in law was very happy. He says, this is his favorite thing i make. Noodles were pretty great. Miss K was upset as she had eaten too much pasta to have as much steak as she wanted.. What an amateur. my father in law is always given one of the bones, then Miss K is next to receive one.. But not this time, heh heh heh. and i got half her potato. A couple of rib eyes from the P-Dutch folks.. Cooked 4 minutes per side, a little butter baste: inlaws and all like it towards the rare side of town. it was just about 120 when i took it off. these steaks were really lovely.. and 12 bucks a pound.. you know from the pdutch that it's organic and grass fed and well taken care of. and for 12 bucks an elbow, thats a deal. Served with potatoes: A couple of pancakes, a few cheeses and a bacon egg and cheese and that is pretty much what I ate that weekend.

steak night.. I had that 2.5 lb steak from greene grape. Cooked in a cast iron at medium high, then tossed in a 250 degree oven.. a little ramp butter: 250 degree oven and took out at 123: miss a made a lovely salad with a creme fraiche dressing.

Poulet Rouge. Stuffed with lovage, thyme and spring garlic. Roasted on mushrooms, some fingerling potatoes, olives, capers, pearl onions, and a few ramps. Aigo Boulido D'Iou. "One-eyed" spring garlic consommé. Confit gizzards, asparagus, pickled carrots and a coddled egg.

?? D'you mean Sayur Lodeh? You ought to be able to get candlenuts in a pan-Asian store --- surely there must be one in Ottawa? Ask for "buah keras" if the owners are Malay/Indonesian rather than Chinese... Yes, I've read about macadamia nuts being used as a substitute - but have never done so, because I have access to candlenuts. Even when using buah keras (candlenuts) myself, I tend to ramp up the quantity called for in recipes, even if the idea is just to add a suggestion of "lemak" or creamy texture to the dish. P.s. If you use coconut milk (and you should be, for sayur lodeh) it might be an idea to just add a bit more, in lieu of the candlenuts if you can't get them (or also skip the macadamia nuts). ETA: It seems "Sajoer Lodeh' is the Dutch version/name. Are you looking to make the Dutch version or the Javanese version of the dish, if there is a difference (if any)? (The Malay version is pretty much like the Javanese version, I think, even if the dish varies with the cook and the vegetables available to the cook, across the various regions. It's another dish which does not have an ABSOLUTE invariable recipe) (But for myself, if it did not have cabbage and yard-long beans in it I would be reluctant to call it "sayur lodeh". :-) ) ETA2: @ElsieD, if you are in a Chinese-owned grocery and they don't know what "candlenuts" are, try showing them this name: 石栗 ("stone chestnut"). Then, if they have it, confirm by looking at the package. Most of the stuff in the USA (and, I'm assuming, Canada) would come from a few importers via Indonesia and they will have the English name on the package; or, "(buah) kemiri" on it.

Spring Ramen Fiddle-Head Ferns, Blk Morels, Asparagus, Flank steak, pickled ramps, Garden pepper ( Hot ) all in a Poultry * Turkey * broth I'm using Sun Noodles here

This second recipe for a cooked tomatillo sauce is essentially the same one I (and many others) use for green chilaquiles - both my traditional chilaquiles, and my quickie microwave version, which is ready for an easy, tasty breakfast, or a late-night snack in literally seconds, assuming you have your green sauce made. If you roast/toast all your veggies first over/under an open fire in/on a comal/grill/skillet (there are so many ways to do it), it noticeably ramps up the flavor. I roast the tomatillos with the husks on. I think they add something to the tomatillos and I find they're easier to remove after they're cooked. Here's what Steve at Rancho Gordo says about it (note that in the 'comments' section, he says he forgot to mention that he removes the husks before completing the dish): http://ranchogordo.typepad.com/rancho_gordo_experiments_/2006/11/tomatillos_milp.html

Broccoli rabe, home fries with fresh picked ramp leaves, fresh salsa and zucchini pickles. I took @Ann_T's suggestion and lost the toast, but added a few more home fries so I didn't have to cut back on the salsa. I was happy with this combination. HC

More broccoli rabe, home fries with fresh from the garden ramps, Tuscan toast, fresh salsa and a new fav, slightly sweetened seltzer with fresh lime. This was an unlikely combination of circumstance, but a remarkable combination. I had to replenish the salsa quite a few times. I will have this again! HC

Leftover farro w feta, crispy egg and pickled ramps.

Two fried eggs, home fries with ramps, rapini and king scrapple with fresh salsa. HC

When life hands me this: I cook this: Risotto with ramps and white asparagus.

It took me several attempts, but I finally learned to not just blanch it, but boil it in salted water until the water is colored, then into garlicky good olive oil in a hot skillet. I finished off a big bunch of it this morning. My first taste of Broccoli rabe was at Tommy Dinic's at the RTM on a pork sandwich and I absolutely loved it. Here it is again with some home fries and ramp leaves this morning. I will be attempting to grow some rapini this fall. HC

Last night's paella mixta. Chicken, Long Island shellfish - scallops and clams. Grilled scallions and grilled first ramps of the season.

Lamb? me too. Happy Easter everyone! dcarch Leg of lamb, potato gnocchi, with ramp sauce and ramps.

I have made my own as well but in a pinch theirs is a great substitute. If you go to their sales office you can get breasts even cheaper (I have a half dozen frozen). You're right, they can certainly be stretched. A great recent rendition is smoked duck breast pasta with ramps and asparagus in a light cream sauce.

Crispy bacon, bruschetta, fresh salsa and home fries with ramps and chive blossom buds. HC

Grilled bread with ricotta and charred ramps.

For my nephew, brother, husband, and brother in law: grilled Snake River Farms ribeye tenderloin with ramp butter (I made this butter back in the spring and froze it in a log), roasted broccolini, and mashed potatoes. This was supposed to be yesterday's dinner, but adaptation is sometimes required. You will have to trust me when I say the steak was perfectly medium rare. I cannot ask the group of people who could care less about food photos to hold up while I take multiple pictures 🙂 No chance I was eating that dinner. The last time I ate beef, I was 15. I don't care if others like it, and I will cook it for them, but it is not for me. Instead, I made a tomato sandwich with the last heirloom tomato from my CSA. I only ate half, and my brother in law has already claimed the other half for a midnight snack.

Last night - burgers, macaroni salad, corn off the cob, sautéed in what has become my go-to this summer, ramp butter. With scallions and chives. Two nights ago - leftover scarpariello, steam girl reheated. Maybe it's me, but sometimes this stuff tastes better the 2nd time.

I cannot imagine anyone who has had the fortune of tasting ramps in its various delectable forms to ever utter such blasphemy!

I have no objection to ramps at all, but the whole allium family is already confused enough. My local neighbourhood supermarket has about ten different varieties. One fewer suits me fine.

But wait, @liuzhou - I know about your love of corn, but what's wrong with ramps? I mean, it's garlic, leeks, scallions, all in the same family.

Beef is more traditional, but pork is often used, yes. I shall remain silent on your "vegetable" accompaniment. No ramps in China, thank heaven. As for that yellow muck! (OK. Not very silent!)

Chinese American! Mapo tofu - using Mala Project ingredients, this 3-year fermented bean paste is quite tasty. Pork subbed for beef, but I think either is OK. Corn sautéed with heirloom cherry tomatoes and scallions in ramp butter.

Monday Grilled Bison Burgers Bison was sourced from Fresh Thyme --Charr grilled eggplant, grilled onions/ garlic, fresh sage, parsley and picked ramps. Finished with Whole grain mustard and home made pickles ( too tired for a finished shot!! )