Quick Pickled Ramps with Coriander and Chili Flakes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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.

Bring the vinegar, sugar, water, salt, mustard seed and celery seed to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar has melted, about 2 minutes. Pour the pickling liquid over the ramps and seal the jars. Cool and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Pickled Ramps are perfect on top of a homemade pizza. Add to your pizza along with Brebis cheese and Georgia Olive Oil. Add to your favorite martini co*cktail. The ramp can be used in place of pearl onions in a Gibson martini.

Over medium-high heat, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the ramps and add a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Allow the cook until they start to caramelize and/or blister on first side before flipping.

For starters, wash them thoroughly. “If you thought leeks were dirty, wait'll you get your hands on ramps,” says former BA editor Rick Martínez. 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.

The narrow, white bulb and purple-red stems need only to be coarsely chopped before they are frozen. The green leaves, however, should be blanched before they are frozen. This blanching step helps the leaves keep an attractive bright green color rather than turning brown when they are frozen and then thawed.

There are lots of ways to preserve ramps, from canning to pickling to kimchi, but I prefer freezing. The leaves turn mushy and a little bit gross after freezing but the bulbs are fine. To get around the problem, I freeze the bulbs whole but turn the leaves into pesto. Slice off the roots and discard.

You can put those pickled ramps from the previous recipe on just about anything, but why not go all the way and shoot for Pan Roasted Skirt Steak with Fingerlings and Ramp Leaves with a Pickle Sauce (pictured above)? Or toss those pickled ramps into Egg-Fried Rice with Pickled Vegetables.

"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.

Why are ramps endangered? ›

Being a slow-growing, bulbous perennial, Ramps are at great risk of losing entire populations due to over harvest. Many regions have cultural limitations on when and how much to harvest, but due to lack of solid regulations and widespread demand, this plant is still at risk in many places.

Ramps can be eaten raw, like green onions or scallions, but they're frequently cooked down, like leeks. While they aren't as hardy as leeks, the leaves are much more resilient to heat than the delicate shoots of chives or scallions, so don't be afraid to add some to a stir-fry or side of sautéed greens.

Pickled ramps make a tangy accompaniment to any meat, chicken, or fish dish. You can also treat them like regular pickles: Chop them up to use as a relish to top pan-seared meats or even hot dogs and hamburgers on Memorial Day.

Allium tricoccum – commonly known as ramps but also is sometimes called wild leek, spring onion, or ramson – is frequently collected and sold at farmers markets or served in upscale restaurants in the spring as a delicacy for its strong garlic-like odor and sweet spring onion flavor.

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.

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.