Meatless Mondays: Ramps

I would totally walk by these if I saw them under a tree.

Ramps have been the hot Spring food

For the last few years, here in New York. Come April, it seems as though every food writer in the tristate area can do nothing but extol the virtues of ramps, also known as wild leeks.  Being a contrary sort of person, I was convinced that ramps could not be worth the hype.  They seemed to be part of the trend for extremely local, seasonal food that is sometimes worth the extra time and money but is mostly just about establishing credibility.  And then I saw Smitten Kitchen’s recipe — and photos — for ramp pizza.  Maybe it was just her luscious photography.  Maybe it was the way she described the ramp leaves as being like the best kind of kale chips.  Regardless, I realized it was time to embrace the trend.

My pizza wasn’t quite as pretty as Smitten Kitchen’s but the sauteed bulbs and roasted leaves were delicious.  The bulbs were sweet, almost like braised leeks, and the leaves were green and mellow.  Since I didn’t use all of the ramps, I ate the leftover cooked ramps in a delicious omelet with a bit of pecorino.

The second batch of ramps got turned into ramp pesto, from the Food52 Cookbook, a Mother’s Day present.  I followed the recipe exactly, toasting walnuts and using raw ramp bulbs and leaves.  It’s got an almost garlicky bite, which has been delicious with pork tenderloin, toast, scrambled eggs, roasted fingerling potatoes, and even baked tilapia.  If I were to do it again, I would blanch the bulbs briefly just to tame the flavor a bit.  I might try it with different nuts, too, maybe blanched almonds for some sweetness to balance the raw ramp flavor more. 

Washed, dried, sliced ramps

The finished pesto: so many uses!

There isn’t a whole lot of information about the health benefits of ramps, but they are, like most vegetables, low in calories and high in fiber.  Ramps are also a good source of iron and vitamins A and C.  As a member of the allium family, which includes onions and garlic, ramps are also rich in sulfuric compounds, which are good for the heart and cardiovascular system. 

Ramps used to be foraged in the Spring from fertile soil under deciduous trees, but now you can easily find cultivated ramps.  Having never tried the foraged kind, I can’t speak to any taste differences.  I’ve found various sources for the name ramp.  It could be Old English or Old German, maybe even ancient Greek.  If you’re really curious, go to this Bon Appetit site to get your etymology geek on.  According to this site, the name of the city Chicago comes from a Native American word for the plant, shika’ko, which used to grow ramp-ant in that area.

Ramps’ short growing season usually lasts through May.  Since we’ve had a cool Spring, I’m hoping the season will last longer, giving me a chance to finally explore all the possibilities and join the ramp fan club.  I’m looking forward to trying grilled ramps, sautéed ramps with pasta, fresh ramps wilted into risotto, and…..  What’s your favorite ramp recipe?  Are there other spring vegetables I should feature?