What is the best way to cook ramps?

To preserve those essential qualities, it's best to keep it simple when preparing ramps. Sautéing them in butter brings out even more depth of flavor; once you've done that, you don't need many other ingredients.

How do you grill Rampa?

Directions Place ramps on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. ... Light one chimney full of charcoal. ... Place ramps on hot side of grill and cook, turning occasionally, until tender and charred, about 2 minutes.

Do you eat the green part of ramps?

From their small white bulb that resembles a spring onion to their large green leaves, every part of a ramp—except the roots at the end of the bulb—is edible, whether raw or cooked . They add a bold flavor to soups, as well as egg, potato, and rice dishes.

How do you clean and prepare ramps?

Like leeks, ramps tend to trap a lot of dirt in their leaves and they'll need more than a quick rinse to remove the grittiness. Instead, rinse thoroughly or even submerge ramps in a large bowl of cool water and swish them around to remove dirt and sand. Swish ramps in a cold water bath to release sand and grit .

How do you prepare ramps to eat?

To enjoy raw ramps, simply slice them and use them as you would scallions or chives . Sprinkle raw ramps into salads, on scrambled eggs, over the top of tacos, or on a baked potato with sour cream. You can cook whole ramps by tossing them lightly in olive oil and searing in a grill pan or on a hot barbecue.

Do you eat ramp stems?

Ramps look a bit like scallions, with green shoots that come up from the ground, but they often have purplish stems and wide, broad leaves. The stalks and leaves are edible , and they're versatile across a number of recipes and dishes.

Can ramps be eaten raw?

The entire ramp plant is edible. The leaves can be eaten raw in salads or gently sautéed like spinach, and the bulb can be chopped and used to flavor egg or potato dishes. Try using ramps in place of scallions, leeks or garlic in the spring when they're readily available.

Should you refrigerate ramps?

Though the leaves are fragile, properly handled ramps will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week : Rinse and dry them thoroughly with paper towels, then tightly wrap them together in plastic, remove all the air, and store them in the crisper in the fridge. Or, you can vacuum seal the raw ramps and freeze them.

Why not to harvest ramps?

Ramps (allium tricoccum) are a slow-growing plant that's native to the northeast United States that takes many years to mature. As a result, digging them up by the roots threatens their survival as a species .

Do you have to boil ramps?

" I really enjoy ramps in the uncooked state . We like to macerate them into vinaigrettes, marinades, condiments, or just raw, finely sliced. You can use them interchangeably with any recipe calling for garlic. The season is so short that I kind of like the idea of savoring the pungent flavor that can stick with you.

Are ramps good for you?

Meanwhile, wild ramps are particularly rich in vitamin C, which aids immune health, tissue repair, iron absorption, and collagen production . In fact, they offer around twice as much vitamin C as the same quantity of oranges (4, 5 ).

Are ramps good for oil changes?

That said, ramps are excellent for oil changes especially , and many people keep a set around just specifically for this, as the lack of set-up time makes doing oil changes much faster. One drawback to ramps is vehicles that are lowered or low to the ground, especially ones with very low front noses.

Grilled Ramps Recipe - Simply Scratch (2024)

This Grilled Ramps Recipe is simple and one of the best way to prepare wild foraged ramps. In this post learn how to harvest, clean, store and grill one of the first crops of the spring season. Serves 6.

It’s ramp season!

Every Mother’s Day weekend for the last 4 years Pat and I meet up with our close friends foraging Michigan’s woods for morels and ramps. Well to be honest, the guys grab a shovel and go out to get the ramps. After a day spent in hunched over and scouring the woods for mushrooms, we sit down and have grilled steaks with morels, Linda’s potatoes with ramps – and I swear to you, it’s the best meal of the year.

This year was a little different, as it was just Pat and I. But we kept the tradition going, we found 27 morels (exactly😉) and Pat foraged 2 pounds of ramps for me.

Although missing our friends, it was still a successful weekend!

To Make Grilled Ramps You Will Need:

ramps
avocado oil (or other oil with a high smoke point)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
lemon
extra virgin olive oil

What are Ramps?

Ramps are wild leeks. They are part of the allium family (allium tricoccum) – related to green onions, shallots and leeks. They are native to North America and are found and foraged in the woods under the shady canopy of trees in the spring.

The entire plant is edible from the bulb to the leaves (excluding the roots😉). Although pungent, they are extremely versatile and taste like the combination of garlic and onion. There are lots of ways to enjoy ramps; raw, roasted, sautéed, grilled and you can also pickle the stem and bulb too.

Where can you Find Ramps?

If not the woods, you might want to check specialty grocery stores and farmer markets. They are only available for a short time period and are quick to sell. Also, from what I’ve read, they can be pretty pricy as well.

How To Harvest Ramps:

Use a shovel to dig 3 to 5 inches deep. We transferred small clumps of them to a cooler for transporting home, but a paper bag or large bucket will do. Be careful to keep the ramps and the leaves from getting bruised, bent or crumpled. Make sure to check the DNR website for your state and read aboutwhat’s permitted for harvest, what is not and any rules and regulations for properly foraging wild foods.

Also, it’s important to note: You never want to remove all the leeks from a certain area. Ramps have fine roots, but they are also connected by a thicker root system or offshoots from a bulb. It’s always best practice in conserving the crop, to always leave a few behind (still in the ground) so that they can come back the next season. Otherwise you will wipe out the ramp crop in that particular area.

How To Clean Ramps:

Just like regular leeks, you will need to thoroughly clean ramps as soil and mud hid in all their crevices. Even if you find ramps at the farmers market and they look like they’ve been cleaned or you’re told they are clean – it’s still recommended to give them a thorough wash before using them.

With that said, there’s really no wrong way to do it. I start by Gently loosen the leeks from the soil, then (still being gentle!) shake off any excess soil/mud. Rinse the root and peel back and discard any thin loose or slimy layers. I was washing 2 pounds of ramps, so I wore gloves to avoid water soaked hands.

Give the roots a final rinse. These ramps are not completely cleaned yet. I personally stop here, leaving the roots attached before storing. I finish cleaning them the day I’m preparing them (which I’ll show below). With that said, I’m sure you can trim, soak, rinse, pat dry and store these without running into any issues. I just like to play it safe I suppose.

How To Store Ramps:

After cleaning and rinsing the ramp roots, I wrapped the root end with a few layers of paper towel (like a bouquet of flowers) the water from the ramps will dampen the paper towel. Then carefully placed the “bouquet” (root-side down) into an unsealed plastic bag. Lay down flat in your refrigerator shelf or crisper drawer. Be mindful to not crush the plant or its delicate leaves. I used these the next day, but I’m pretty positive they would last a 3 to 4 days at least this way.

How To Grill Ramps:

Trim and discard the root end.

I finished cleaning the ramps right before using – that’s just a personal preference. Fill a large bucket or bowl with cold water. I’m using our brining bucket but you could work in batches using a bowl or even a deep roasting pan.

Submerge the ramps into the cold water. Gently swish them around.

Preheat you grill to 500°

Once hot, lay the ramps down on the hot grill grates.

On the hottest part of the grill, place the lemon halves cut side down so they can develop good char quickly. You only really need 1/2 a grilled lemon for this recipe, but I grill 4 halves to have grilled lemons as garnish.

Grill for a few minutes a side.

Remove and transfer the ramps and grilled lemon to the rimmed baking sheet and bring inside.

Transfer grilled ramps to a serving platter along with the grilled lemons. Drizzle the ramps with a little extra virgin olive oil.

And squeeze the juice of 1/2 a grilled lemon.

Grilled lemons are so ridiculously juicy!

Ingredients

1 pound ramps
2 tablespoons avocado oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 lemons, halved, brushed with oil
drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Equipment

Rubbermaid Brining Bucket

Instructions

Read the body of the post for foraging, cleaning and storing ramps.
Once your ramps are trimmed cleaned. Shake off any excess water (into the sink) and spread them out onto a clean kitchen towel. Use another clean towel to pat them dry. Flip the ramps and repeat.
Preheat your grill to 500°.
While your grill is preheating; place the dried ramps on a rimmed metal baking sheet.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other oil with a hight smoke point) over the ramps and season with a few pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Use your hands to gently toss and evenly coat the ramps including the leaves.
Brush a little oil on the cut side of the lemon halves as well.
Once your grill is hot, use tongs to transfer the ramps to the hot grill grates. And place the lemon halves cut side down on the hottest part of your grill. Cook the ramps only a minute or two before flipping and repeating. Leave the lemon until it has good grill marks.
When the ramps are tender, transfer them back to the baking sheet and bring inside along with the charred lemon.
Transfer the grilled ramps to a platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil and squeeze the juice from 1/2 a grilled lemon. Season with a little extra salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

Nutrition Disclaimer:All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 94kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1289IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 2mg

Author: Laurie McNamara

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

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