Ramps (Allium tricoccum), also known as wild leek or wild garlic, are one of my favorite Springtime ingredients. I recently bought a bunch at Provisions on State in New Haven, CT.
Being a plant mom (have you noticed?), I noticed the bulbs and roots were still intact. Ding ding! An opportunity to replant, and hopefully get these to regrow next year. I’d love to see the blooms that come out this summer.
Anyway, before cooking them, I chopped the bottom half inch of the bulb with the roots attached and have them soaking in water for now.
I washed the leaves really well. Dried them and dressed them in an excellent olive oil and seasoned lightly with salt. I charred them lightly on the grill over indirect heat for 2 minutes and enjoyed them with grilled meat.
My plan for the bulbs:
Soak them in water overnight. Then, plant them outside in a container spaced 4-6 inches apart, with the cut side up.
More fun facts, according to @seriouseats:
“Ramps are a valuable product because of the high market price they command—often around $5 per bunch or $20 per pound—but because of their long germination and the degree to which their growth is dependent on seasonal atmospheric conditions, they’re typically foraged, not cultivated. However, they’re often foraged improperly, with foragers plucking the entire plant, bulb and all, from the ground, which halts its life cycle and prevents the species from repopulating.
How to Harvest Ramps Sustainably
Every March brings a new crop of articles discussing the many ways that ramps can be used. Almost every single one of these articles features a photo of ramps with the bulb intact, and some of them even have roots attached. While the whole ramp is a beautiful sight, the normalization of this image has encouraged improper harvesting techniques.”
➡️ sustainably harvesting ramps = With a small sharp knife, cut leaves from the center of clusters of ramp plants, and never pull up their roots.
With the rest of the ramps, I made a ramp butter using 1 stick of salted butter and finely chopped ramps. Here’s a delicious pasta dish I made with it:
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