Spring has arrived with all of its delicious seasonal produce. This is the time when shopping at the farmer’s market is a lot of fun. Meals can be driven by whatever seasonal ingredients I purchase. This weekend there were still some ramps at the Dupont Circle farmers market. The season is very short, so if you see any don’t hesitate to purchase them. Ramps are a wild leek, with a mild garlic flavor.
I decided to use the tops in a quick pesto, and the white bulbs in a frittata. Both are easy to make and delicious.
Ramp Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 bunches ramps, green parts only (about 1 packed cup)
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts (you can use any nut: pine nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, or even pistachios)
- Finely grated zest of one lemon
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Procedure
Add ramp greens, walnuts, lemon zest, and garlic clove to a food processor and pulse several times until the ingredients are finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Scrape the sides, then add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a glass jar until ready to use. Makes about 1 cup.
Ramp and Asparagus Frittata
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 small potatoes, in 1 inch dice
- 8 asparagus spears
- 2 bunches ramps, white parts only, sliced (about 1/3 cup, you can use onions instead)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan
- Reserve 1 ramp top, and slice to sprinkle on top of the frittata
Procedure
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl, and set aside.
3. Fill a medium saucepan with about 4 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add a few large pinches of salt. Cook the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook for about 7 minutes, just until they get tender. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4.Blanch the asparagus in the same saucepan of boiling water. Add them to the boiling water and blanch for about 45 seconds. Remove and rinse under cold water.
5.Add the oil to a 9 inch non-stick, oven-proof skillet. Turn the heat to medium. Add the sliced ramps bulbs and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and the egg mixture. Stir the egg mixture around until it starts to set. Turn the heat off. Add dollops of ricotta on top of the egg mixture, then top with the blanched asparagus. Sprinkle the shredded Parmesan and the sliced ramp top on the frittata. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until just set in the center. Place the frittata under the broiler for about 2 minutes, or until the top starts to get golden brown in places. Serves 4.
Do you have a favorite use for ramps?
One Vanilla Bean 