Ramps: The Topic

[Ktepi]

They are in the South (I mail-ordered mine, I doubt I'd find them here in New Hampshire), I don't know about elsewhere.

I just had a deviled egg with ramps and white truffle salt. Man oh man. Perfect.

[rlibkind]

They're available this week at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia (Iovine Brothers Produce) at $3.990/bunch.

[qrn]

Just got some from local Whole Foods...

Strange , but they were from Oregon, Thought they all were from East US hills...

Anyway, they look and smell good.

Gonna Plant a few and see what happens, (most likely nothing), and eat the rest.

They were $24.99 a pound...Whew!

Bud

[tomdarch]

Has anyone ever seen ramps at a grocery or market in the Chicago area?

(I've got some shoestring connections in West Virginia, but they'd give me some pretty funny looks over the e-mail when it came to sending them to me. "You want me to what? in the FedEx how? dang crazy city-folk.... )

[Peter the eater]

They were $24.99 a pound...Whew!

A hundred grams cost $5.50? Ouch, that's more than Roquefort.

[qrn]

Well,,, used some of our $24.99/ lb ramps...Worth every penny(dollar) ... diced, sauted, and served with sauteed fresh spinach....

Diced In scalloped potatoes with ham... A new flavor...

Gonna do a mushroom ementhaller quiche with some diced/sauted. in it...

Great stuff... Hope the ones I plant, grow ...But won't hold my breath.. The high dry Colorado plains don't have the dark woods with decaying leaves and moisture that are necessary. but will be a fun thing to try...

Bud

[SobaAddict70]

Fried potatoes with ramps

3 Bintje potatoes*, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick

1 bunch ramps, cleaned, trimmed and cut in half

3 tablespoons bacon drippings

3 eggs, lightly beaten

salt and pepper to taste

Fry potatoes in bacon drippings over medium heat until potatoes are golden brown. Add the ramps about 2/3 of the way through. Check seasoning. When potatoes are done, add eggs. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 30 seconds. Slide out onto a warmed plate. Serve immediately.

*Yukon golds are a good substitute.

[SobaAddict70]

They were $24.99 a pound...Whew!

A hundred grams cost $5.50? Ouch, that's more than Roquefort.

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Sounds about right.

A pound and a half cost $30 at USGM.

[onehsancare]

I haven't seen ramps in the markets, but I found them on line: ramps

Maybe I can talk Mr. Care into a road trip next weekend . . . what's five hours on the road for the chance to buy fresh ramps? (My guess is he'll vote for FedEx!)

[SobaAddict70]

Pasta with ramps "pesto" and peas

[Abra]

I was thinking that ramps are the same thing as l'ail des ours, which I'm about to get a bunch of and use for a little cooking contest. But y'all are talking about using the bulb, which I think is not eaten with l'ail des ours. Does anybody know if it's the same plant?

[Magictofu]

I was thinking that ramps are the same thing as l'ail des ours, which I'm about to get a bunch of and use for a little cooking contest.  But y'all are talking about using the bulb, which I think is not eaten with l'ail des ours.  Does anybody know if it's the same plant?

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From what I have found online they are different species:

Ail des ours = Allium Ursinum (link)

Ramps = Allium Tricoccum (link)

I see that Ail des Ours has a slightly different kind of flower. I believe that they are interchangeable in recipes.

[SobaAddict70]

Guess what's going to be available in a couple of weeks.

[heidih]

Soba- I have never seen them in the So Cal farmers markets- but you tempt me every year. I need to research. Looking forward to your market based preps as always.

[Pierogi]

Soba- I have never seen them in the So Cal farmers markets- but you tempt me every year. I need to research. Looking forward to your market based preps as always.

Heidi, neither have I ! They remain my Holy Grail of produce in Southern California....if you find them, please share your source, as I will if *I* do.

[SobaAddict70]

I don't think you can get them out west although if melkor is still around on eG, he might have a better idea.

I have a couple of ideas in the works. Although you'll see some of the usual preps (e.g., with pasta), one of my "cooking resolutions for 2011" is to explore uncharted territory.

[weinoo]

They're baaaack...

I just happened to be at Eataly yesterday, and there they were, the divas all nice and pretty in their little basket at the front of the produce section. I had been at the Union Square farmer's market on Saturday with Significant Eater, and they were nowhere to be found. Restaurateurs have been tweeting about cooking with them for about a week, but for we mere consumers, nada. Until...

Yay...ramps for shoppers. I greedily snatched up a bunch or two, along with a pound of fresh favas (shhh...they're not local). So last night, here's what I had to work with...

I figured I'd keep it real simple, so I braised the favas, along with the ramps, in a cup of homemade chicken stock...

Cooked up a portion or two of pasta, and tossed it all together with a big handful of pecorino and parmesan, freshly grated, of course...

Then, I sat down to my first ramp-y meal of the season. Fortunately, I can almost see the end in sight .

Pasta With Ramps and Favas

1 or 2 bunches ramps, cleaned, chopped, greens saved for garnish

1 lb. fresh favas, shelled

1 cup chicken stock

4 T olive oil

2 oz. parmesan, pecorino or both, grated

8 oz. pasta - (rotini, orecchiette, farfalle)

1 T Minced parsley

Salt & Pepper to taste

Bring well-salted water to a boil for pasta. Meanwhile, saute the ramps and favas for a minute or two in hot oil. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Cover. When pasta is almost al dente, remove it to the pan with the favas. Toss well and add some pasta water if necessary. Off heat, add cheese by handfuls, along with minced parsley and ramp greens. Keep tasting, adding more water and or/cheese till sauce just coats pasta.

Serve, with more freshly grated cheese and pepper. Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a primi.

[SobaAddict70]

Oh goody.

If I don't see them at USGM this weekend, you might have given me the kick in the rump to finally get to Eataly at last.

And blog about it. The few times I've walked past it's been jam-packed.

[BadRabbit]

It ticks me off we hardly ever get ramps this far south. I guess I'll have to make do with spring vidalias.

[Ashen]

It is still a bit early for them here but I am looking so forward to them . They almost always overlap the morel season so I am contemplating if a dish with both would be worth it, or keep it to dishes that feature each separately.

I absolutely love to grill ramps over hardwood or lump charcoal. I tweaked to the idea after learning about how they treat calcots in spain. I should start working on tweaking a decent romesco sauce now.

[SobaAddict70]

Squid ink tagliatelle with ramps, fried breadcrumbs and pecorino cheese

[GlorifiedRice]

http://i.imgur.com/rjwfY.jpg

^^^Ramps (from Wegmans) Eggs, Bacon and Homefries...

[SobaAddict70]

Can't believe they're still available at the Greenmarket.

Buy them now because the season's almost done.

Ramps and potato omelette.

Recipe here: http://spamwise.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/midnight-snack-2-2/

[weinoo]

In a pickle...the last of the season. Kinda large, so blanched for about 45 seconds.

[GlorifiedRice]

Okay I bought some Ramp seeds...

Where should I plant them and does anyone have any tips?

If Im successful Ill probably do some heavy Guerilla Seeding around my township so that maybe I can bring a Ramp festival to my town and get some revenue to reduce taxload.