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Ramps - A Spring Delicacy (Cont'd)
by George Hedgepeth
Most people who gather ramps (and I believe they are gathered by more people than just about any other wild plant) are interested in the thumb sized and shaped bulbs. These bulbs are really good food, very similar to shallots in flavor, with an onion/garlic taste blend that complements many foods. They are wonderful, if a bit pungent, simply sautéed in the woods in butter or a bit of oil. Along with morels and steelhead filets, they form my holy trinity of Michigan spring wild edibles. They can be dried by stringing them on a piece of thread with a needle and hanging them in a warm place. They can also be blanched and frozen, or even canned.
The leaves of the ramp, when they are still bright green, are a wonderful product in their own right. They can be added to a salad, steamed, or stir-fried. They are milder than the bulbs, but still assertive. One advantage they have over the bulbs is that they cook very quickly, where as the bulbs are rather firm. Two or three leaves can be folded into an omelet (wonderful with Swiss cheese and left-over steamed asparagus) and they will be perfectly done by the time the eggs are finished.
My favorite way to eat Ramp leaves is to lightly blanch the leaves in boiling water, and then use them to wrap a wad of cooked sticky rice and a few other delectables into a north woods sushi roll! The Ramp leaves replace the Nori of traditional sushi. Try this with a sliver of smoked salmon and a smear of wasabi from a tube. Even better (but a bit tedious) is to fill the roll with peeled tails from small crayfish, a horseradish-flavored tuber from a Toothwort, and a sweet and mild sliver of a Burdock root (called Gobo in Japan). Packets of take-out soy sauce are wonderful with this too. Not only is this tasty, it is even portable!
Ramps do not grow just anywhere. They need rich, moist soil. They seem to be sensitive to over compaction of the soil, and I do not find them for this reason in areas that have been grazed by cows. They CAN be over harvested. Respect them, use them wisely, and ENJOY them with friends!
Back to Page One - Ramps...
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