Ramps?

Early spring is an exciting time for us local food fanatics. We suffer through imported broccoli and lettuce from miles away all winter. We do our best to reduce our 'food miles' and we know the difference between a juicy tomato grown in our backyard and the cardboard flavour of the imported variety. So when food begins to appear in our territory, our tails wag.
Here in Ontario the first tastes of home often come from wild sources. Fiddleheads, morels and wild leeks or 'ramps' to a local foodie.
According to "The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink," the word ramp comes from "rams," or "ramson," an Elizabethan dialect rendering of the wild garlic.
Ramps are a perennial member of the onion family. They are delicate, garlicky and not available for very long so we need to enjoy them while we can.
However, like any wild food we must harvest wild leeks sustainably. Because we dig up the root, it is best to harvest only a small portion of any patch. There are many concerns about overharvesting from North Carolina all the way to Ontario. Much like any food source on the planet, we want to be respectful and collect only what we need and leave enough for future generations.

Ramps require a little effort to harvest and clean.
You will need a pitch fork or sharp shovel and a friend. Dig a few inches away from the ramps and gently loosen them from the ground. Pull the ramps upward very carefully until they release. They are extremely delicate, if you pull to hard they will break, so be patient. The roots are often well packed with soil. Knock off as much soil as you can in the forest. When you get them home, fill your sink or a bucket with water and soak the mud from your harvest. (Use this water in your garden or house plants, forest soil is very nourishing)
Once the ramps are clean you will need to peel back the slimy protective sheath that surrounds the bulb. You can simply slide this off with your hand and cut if off at the same time as the roots.
Once they are clean you can store them for several days in an unsealed plastic bag in the crisper.

There are plenty of delicious 'ramp recipes'. 

1. The simplest and most seriously delicious is to: 

• Chop the ramp bulbs into small pieces 
• Roughly chop the leaves
• Saute in butter or olive oil until soft and tender

Use as a side dish, under poached eggs or a base for fresh, herbed fish.

2. You can use ramps as an alternative to garlic in any pesto recipe.

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts or almonds
• 1/3 cup fresh ramps
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

If you have a favourite ramp recipe, please share it in the comment section of this blog post.
Happy spring folks!