Urban Foraging

Last week it was finally warm enough for us to venture into the nearby forest to spend some time foraging for ramps, otherwise known as wild leeks.  This is a ritual we look forward to every spring, heading to..........our secret source (thanks, Tim!).  Ramps are easily recognized by their wide and flat dark green  leaves.  They are a tender, pungent root with a garlic/onion flavour that is very versatile.  Be sure to bring a trowel to loosen the earth around them so that you do not break off the treasure below.

 

They are delicious raw,  grilled, or sautéed in butter for pasta sauce, omelettes, salads and vegetable side dishes.   Of course they are best fresh from the ground, but we have also had good success with chopping and freezing them, so every once in a while we can throw a handful of spring into winter dishes.

Grilled Ramps

Prepare ramps for grilling by cutting off the roots, removing the slimy covering of the bulb and rinsing well in cold running water. Shake off excess water and lay out on a clean dish cloth to dry.

Preheat barbecue on HIGH, and reduce temperature to MEDIUM HIGH.  Brush ramps with oil and place on the diagonal directly on the grids. Grill for 4 minutes, flip over and grill for another 4 minutes.

Grilled Sirloin Steak Salad with Grilled Ramps and Portobello Mushrooms.

This is a great spring dinner for families on the go. You can use whatever vegetables that you have in your refrigerator. We used what we had!

½ pound ramps, cleaned and grilled

½ pound Portobello mushrooms, cleaned and grilled

2 sirloin strip steaks, grilled

½ red onion , sliced thinly

½ English cucumber, sliced thinly

1 cup cherry tomatoes

4 cups mixed spring greens

½ cup greek feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Grill ramps, mushrooms and steak over MEDIUM HIGH heat on a preheated barbecue, for 4 minutes per side. Please follow this link for How to grill the Perfect Steak.

After letting steak and mushrooms rest for 5 minutes, slice them and layer over top of lettuce, along with the grilled ramps and other fresh vegetables. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with feta cheese, if desired.

Grilled Asparagus with Ramps, Peameal Bacon and Roasted Peppers

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 bunch asparagus, washed thoroughly

1 handful ramps (about a dozen), cleaned

2 slices peameal bacon

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Parmesan Cheese for garnish

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat barbecue on MEDIUM HIGH and place the peppers directly on the grids.  Cook, turning occasionally, until all the skin is charred.  Remove from heat and let rest until cool enough to handle, then peel the skin, remove the seeds and chop into 1” chunks.

Meanwhile, toss the asparagus and ramps in olive oil.  Reduce barbecue temperature to MEDIUM and set the asparagus and ramps on the grill.  Rotate them on the grill until just tender, about 4-5 minutes.  At the same time, grill the peameal bacon about 2 minutes per side. 

Chop the asparagus into 1” pieces.  Chop the ramps a little more finely, and dice the peameal bacon. 

Place the asparagus on a heated platter, scatter with the roasted peppers, then the bacon and ramps.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and garnish with cheese, herbs, salt and pepper.

New Potatoes with Ramps and Pancetta

1 pound new potatoes, cut into quarters

8-10 slices pancetta, chopped into 1” pieces

Handful of ramps (about a dozen), diced using the white and purple parts

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, preferably parsley and oregano

Butter or olive oil

Grease a large sheet of heavy aluminum foil with butter or olive oil and scatter with ½ the pancetta.  Add potatoes, ramps and olives, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and scatter with the remaining pancetta.  Cover with another greased sheet of foil, and roll together the edges all the way around to form a tight package. 

Place on the top rack of a preheated barbecue set at MEDIUM and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Carefully turn the package over, taking care not to pierce the foil, and cook for another 15-20 minutes.  Potatoes should be tender and slightly caramelized.  Top with chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste

Briar and Pepper enjoy the outing with Nora and Sammie

Trout Lilies share the forest floor with ramps at this time of year