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Ramp pesto


SobaAddict70

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question -- if i were to blanch ramps for pesto, is three minutes too much? i've seen recipes that call for five seconds to as many as three minutes.

and yes, i could just as well not blanch them but that's not what i asked. :rolleyes:

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Perhaps try a few for 5 sec. If they dont look done, try a few for longer. All that's needed is a good slotted spoon and a pan of boiling water, no?

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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it's not a question of cooking them.

this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...th-Ramps-103326 suggests to me that the reason for blanching has to do with reducing the piquancy of the ramps.

it seems to me that three seconds is a bit short. on the other hand, perhaps three minutes is too long. i'm trying to achieve a balance. i don't want the color to turn but at the same time i don't want to send people running for the hills when i open my mouth after eating dinner.*

*ramps are like onions on steroids.

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dinner tonight i think.

at the moment i'm thinking either ramp pesto per the epicurious recipe or linguine with ramps [in the same vein as the typical pasta with pepperoncino, greens and garlic].

it also occurs to me that a little pork would go great with this. my problem is that the bacon ends are in the freezer so that's not going to happen tonight.

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Are you going to blanch the green part and the white part separately. I don't know if it would make difference, but it seems that it would. I made a ramp Gnudi yesterday with just the green part in the actual gnudi and blanched them for a little time as possible. I sauteed the unblanched white parts in some butter for a sauce.

Mike

The Dairy Show

Special Edition 3-In The Kitchen at Momofuku Milk Bar

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that's an extra step. i'm cooking for myself so some aesthetics are being tossed by the wayside. :raz:

if i don't do the ramp pesto though, the other preparation i have in mind calls for cooking the bulbs and the leaves separately. the bulbs get stewed for 10 to 15 minutes, the leaves are added towards the end and cooked for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

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Perhaps try a few for 5 sec. If they dont look done, try a few for longer. All that's needed is a good slotted spoon and a pan of boiling water, no?

it's not a question of cooking them.

this recipe:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...th-Ramps-103326 suggests to me that the reason for blanching has to do with reducing the piquancy of the ramps.

Blanching is never about cooking something. Its about peeling or storing, or ....

If your goal is to affect the taste, then taste them. Why guess when you can test and optimize?

Edited by Kouign Aman (log)

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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Perhaps try a few for 5 sec. If they dont look done, try a few for longer. All that's needed is a good slotted spoon and a pan of boiling water, no?

it's not a question of cooking them.

this recipe:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/vie...th-Ramps-103326 suggests to me that the reason for blanching has to do with reducing the piquancy of the ramps.

Blanching is never about cooking something. Its about peeling or storing, or ....

If your goal is to affect the taste, then taste them. Why guess when you can test and optimize?

why indeed. :rolleyes:

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Ramp pesto sounds like a very good idea. When the veggies become the garnish or the herbs become the base, good things happen.

Peter Gamble aka "Peter the eater"

I just made a cornish game hen with chestnut stuffing. . .

Would you believe a pigeon stuffed with spam? . . .

Would you believe a rat filled with cough drops?

Moe Sizlack

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i haven't done it yet, because last night i was pressed for time.

probably make it this weekend. i picked up a pound and a half of ramps from usgm last Saturday. i love ramps as much as anyone but there's only so much i can eat, especially if i'm cooking for one. whatever doesn't get used immediately or within a reasonable space of time will get pickled.

anyway, petite and Joe answered for me, thanks.

the bastianich risotto is a good idea but i'm thinking that i might want to use it for something involving eggs. sort of like a riff on huevos rancheros with the ramp pesto as a stand-in for salsa verde comes to mind. tomatoes and tomatillos aren't in season yet.

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  • 5 years later...

I seem to think that there are more than one kind of ramps. Also, how old/young? where they were harvested? 

 

They may taste different.

 

Best to tryout a small quantity.

 

 

dcarch

 

Is that addressed to me?  The post was originated in 2009; I've since worked out the kinks of the problem....these days I blanch 50% of the time, typically for 1-2 minutes.  Depends on whim.

Edited by SobaAddict70 (log)
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I sourced mine..from WF...wider greens..fairly developed bulbs..similar to early spring onions.

I actually did a blend with some leftover spinach..not sure I should have done that..kinda missing the garlic.notes. I separated the bulbs..which I'll sauté. Blanched 1 min and about 20 secs on the baby spinach..I did some cashews..cuz they were around.

We'll see...

Its good to have Morels

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My ramps were from my farmers' market.  I think they were fairly early-season ramps.  The garlicky/oniony notes were quite strong.  Might make another batch later this week, come to think of it.

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