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An Ephemeral Joy

Uh oh.

The guy I usually get my ramps from in the spring has moved. He’s checking to see if he still might be able to procure some for me, but it’s not definite. That’s too bad, but I get it. Ramps, a wild allium that is similar to spring onions and leeks, are an ephemeral joy at best since they are available for only a very short time in the spring.

If I do track some down, this year, I likely will try this recipe for a vinaigrette from Chef Paul McComiskey (www.thecookscook.com/columns/now-forager/spring-foraging-in-new-england) that includes grilled and charred ramps. The nice thing about this recipe is that it keeps for about six weeks in the fridge and can be used on greens, pasta, or fish. Ramps themselves have to be used fairly quickly after they are harvested, so this is good news indeed.

Besides ramps, there is other produce that pops up this time of year that also heralds the coming of warm weather. Asparagus is fairly easy to find, although not all of it is locally grown. Same with watercress. Then there are fiddleheads and dandelion greens, often locally grown and available in the markets along the shoreline. I don’t love either but am happy to experiment to find a recipe I do like. I did buy some dandelion greens recently and ended up chopping them up and submerging them in a soup. It was fine.

Still, they don’t make my heart beat faster, like ramps.

Sigh.

And what a nice problem to have, eh?, with all of the craziness of the world today. Sometimes, it’s nice to focus on problems like this rather than some of the other stuff.

If I don’t get the ramps, I likely will try this recipe anyway, perhaps substituting some chopped up garlic, chives, and maybe some charred scallions with the green tops intact.

If you do get ramps and you are looking for recipes to try, you can also check out these from past years: www.zip06.com/living/20230518/i-changed-my-mind and www.zip06.com/features/20220505/oh-the-green-things-growing. For you foragers out there, you might want to check out Forage & Feast: Recipes For Bringing Mushrooms and Wild Plants To Your Table, a new cookbook from Chrissy Tracey. She also will be the featured guest at an upcoming event at Madison Beach Hotel in April. Find out more about that here: www.facebook.com/MadisonBeachHotel/events.

Charred Ramp Vinagrette

From Chef Paul McComiskey

Food Forager, Ocean House, Rhode Island

Ingredients:

Directions

1. Preheat grill on high. While the grill is heating, clean the ramps and pat dry on towels.

2. Lightly drizzle olive oil over ramps and season with salt. Wipe off excess oil and lay whole ramps with leaves on grill. Flip ramps after two minutes, or when a black char has started to form. Grill on opposite side for one minute or until char has formed. Remove from grill and let cool.

3. In a blender, combine the cooled charred ramps, vinegar, shallot, mustard and honey. With the blender on medium speed, add oil in a steady stream until dressing is emulsified. Season with salt to taste.

Makes about two cups