Ok, on to today's topic. RAMPS.Until last week, ramps (like fiddlehead ferns) were one of those rare delicacies that I had heard tell about but never had the opportunity to try. Only available for a very limited time! Must be sourced locally! You won't find them at the Jewels people!
Lucky for me, ramps came in my Fresh Picks box and so I was able to try them.
Ramps are a wild onion. As you can see, they resemble scallions with leaves. Every part of the plant is edible. The flavor is described as a cross between garlic and onion. It is usually prepared against a starch to showcase the flavor such as sauteed with pasta, cooked in a simple risotto, or roasted with potatoes or in a galette. You could also use it in place of garlic or onion as a flavoring agent in anything.
For my first ramp endeavour I chose to make risotto. They seem pretty innocuous at first, but once you cut them...hooo-weee! That's a powerful stink! I kinda wish I had smellovision for this part. Suffice to say, a little goes a long way when it comes to ramps. The bottom parts I used to start the risotto by sauteing them in a little olive oil and the leaves I sliced thinly and threw in at the end when I was almost done. The stink dampens down considerably when cooked and the flavor is delicious. Garlicy and oniony and...rampy.
There is still time left to get them, so if you can find some I definitely recommend you give them a try this spring!
4 comments:
Ah...not ready for the vitamins yet. The only vitamins I could stomach were Stuart Duet - even the generic substitute did not suffice. I had to order them through the doc. I guess they release the iron slowly, so you don't get bombarded. Lisa
Hmmm. maybe I should ask my doc about those....
Okay, you've convinced me! (About the ramps, that is, not the prenatal vitamins.) If I can find some ramps I promise to work them into my dinner party menu this weekend.
Ramp and Pre-natal vitamin risotto????
Knowing how yummy your risotto is it sounds fantastic.
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