A couple of weekends ago, we went up to my in-laws in the Berkshires to celebrate Passover. It was still a little cold and wet to go on a big hike, so my mother-in-law took me down their road to a spot where loads of wild ramps grow. We dug some up to transplant in both of our yards, and used some in the braised brisket they made that evening.
If you are unfamiliar with ramps, they are considered a wild leek. They are very strongly flavored, and make a great addition to many recipes. To me they are more of a cross between scallions and a garlic. Last year my in-laws made ramp butter, which was delicious and the ramp flavor was amazingly strong.
Ramps came back into the spotlight a few years ago thanks to Martha Stewart writing about them. Since then, you can sometimes find them in restaurants specializing in local ingredients. They were over-harvested in many areas, so aren’t too common, but when you find an area where they grow, they are abundant. The stems have a red tint to them and the whole plant has a decidedly oniony smell. Once the leaves have grown about 6″, you can dig them up and use the bulb as well. The ones we dug up weren’t quite that size, so the bulb isn’t fully developed yet.
This is the time to look for them. Here’s an article (without photos!) that helps you identify them. As with any foraging, please harvest responsibly. Don’t dig up all the plants! Leave some to regenerate for future generations.
Lucky!
I’ve never been in the right part of the country at the right time of year.