We are, happily, swimming in ramps this spring - rampant with ramps, I dare say. I've been buying them at the Union Square Greenmarket, and we cook 'em up and toss 'em with pasta and are happy little clams. The other night, I augmented the sautéed greens with some potato "croutons" - cooked potatoes, diced and tossed with olive oil, and run under the broiler until they were crispy. They added a lovely rough crunchy texture to the otherwise unctuous dish. While I was slicing and dicing, my sister-in-law stopped by with a bag full of ramps that she'd dug up herself, somewhere up in the Berkshires. We might be going to try some pickled ramps next. Or grilled, alongside a hamburger. Or maybe scrambled eggs stirred into a pan of sautéed ramps. Or ramp marmalade (which sounds more like chutney than marmalade, but sounds good none-the-less)! And, when I remember to buy some sparrow grass, we'll have a bowl of ramps and asparagus.What's your favorite thing to eat come spring? What greens do you pine for in January? What makes your heart sing when you find it in your garden, or at your farmer's market?
asparagus, beets, and especially fiddleheads. I don't get the latter often, but they are my favorite spring food.
ReplyDeleteoooh, potato croutons! I'm going to have to try that.
ReplyDeleteMy mom loves fiddleheads, but they taste a little too 'earthy' for me.
Today it was 30 something degrees and sleeting so right now all I want is for spring to actually arrive so we can get our seedlings into the garden!
Asparagus and peas-in-the-pod. Never heard of ramps other than the kind for wheelie things.
ReplyDeleteI remember you posting about ramps and asparagus a few years ago (I'm pretty sure it was you) and I've been pining for some fresh local asparagus ever since. I need to get myself to a farmer's market --- early!
ReplyDeleteI loooove a good ramp and garlic scape frittata.
ReplyDeleteNever seen or heard of a ramp. Is it like "polk" (i.e. Polk Salad Annie)? It looks a little like. It IS like you're in a different country.
ReplyDeleteNever seen or heard of ramps, either. But those potatoes sound AMAZING!
ReplyDeletePea shoots!
ReplyDeleteI love dandelion greens in the spring, and I miss foraging for what my dad calls pigweed and my mom calls sorrel. But I've never had a ramp. I'll have to check out the offerings at the Union Square Market.
ReplyDeleteI have got to try ramps. I'm terribly curious.
ReplyDeleteI've also never tried fiddleheads. I saw some at Wholefoods the other night, and almost got some. I've never seen ramps, though, that I'm aware of.
I don't know that I have spring favorite food. Maybe I should get one.
Beets! Radishes. Basil... (I make a mean pesto) Jalapeno peppers. FIGS. Finding goober berries on the road in the mountains. (they look like raspberries, but more dish-shaped.) Tomatoes... I could go on & on...
ReplyDeleteSwiss chard!!!!! (need you ask?)
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in Minnesota might have slanted me toward the summer veggies (tomatoes! basil!), but maybe it was just my parents' gardening preferences. The kids are always excited to see the radishes -- not that they eat them, but talk about your rapid reward for gardening.
ReplyDeletePeas in the pod! But sadly, I didn't get to plant them in my garden this spring...
ReplyDeleteFiddleheads in a garlic scape pesto. OM NOM NOM NOM. The husband has changed jobs, and no long walks through the farmer's market on the way home-- he can't call me and say "what do you want?" like the good doobie he is, so I have to plan to go on Saturday mornings and get organized and all of that stuff.
ReplyDeleteI am wickedly jealous of your Union Square.