Ramps!

I'm resisting the urge to title this post something ridiculous like "Ramp It Up!"  So, you're welcome, I guess.  But I am exactly that excited about these beauties. Terrific BCS teacher Colleen harvested these locally and brought a big bag to the kitchen last week.  

First I made pesto with the leaves. 

Ramp Pesto

6 cups ramp leaves, tightly packed

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp sunflower seeds

1/4 cup good parmesan cheese, grated

Whizz it all in a food processor, add a few drops of extra olive oil at a time if you need to. You want a thick paste, and it should smell amazing. 

Mix a Tbsp or two with  1 lb of hot, cooked pasta. Spread a little on toast or sliced baguette. Serve it as a condiment with grilled chicken or fish. Dip raw carrots and cucumbers in it. Eat a spoonful straight. Wish it was always ramp season. 

The next day I roasted the remaining bulbs and made Roasted Ramp Bulb Quinoa!

2 cups quinoa

3 cups vegetable broth

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

a lemon wedge or two

About 3/4 cup ramp bulbs, with some leaf still attached

Bring the quinoa and veggie broth to  a boil in a medium saucepan with a dash of salt and one Tbsp of olive oil. Turn heat to low and cover, cook for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. 

Toss the ramp bulbs with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet at 400 while the quinoa cooks. 

When they're nice and soft and the ends are turning brown and crispy take them out and let them cool slightly, then roughly chop them. 

Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.  Add the roasted ramps and toss well. 

Finish it off with a quick squeeze of lemon juice. 

It was hard not to eat the roasted bulbs on their own, especially the crispy bits.
Ohhhhhh ramps.