Brown Rice, Ramp, and Feta Risotto with Spinach and Beans

My kids were so keen on my first brown rice risotto that I had to try another one. You can make just ramp feta risotto part of this as a side dish, or add the spinach, beans, and optional pine nuts for a meal - either served over the risotto or stirred in. This was inspired in by in-season ramps and spinach, plus a nice big block of feta from Upinngil Farm.

Olive oil
1 large shallot, minced (optional)
1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, warm
1 bunch ramps, thinly sliced (stalks and leaves, about 2-3 cups total)
3-4 ounces crumbled feta
6-8 ounces spinach, stemmed and chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
1 cup pine nuts, lighted toasted (optional but good)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a little olive oil in the pressure cooker. Add the minced shallots, if using, and saute for about a minute. Add the rice and saute over medium heat for a minute or two, until partly translucent. Pour in the warm stock. Cover and lock the pressure cooker and bring to pressure. Cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. Release pressure. Stir risotto. If needed, simmer for up to several additional minutes, stirring frequently, until the risotto reaches the desired consistency,

While the risotto cooks, heat a little more olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the ramps and saute for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Also while the risotto cooks, saute the spinach in olive oil and add the beans until heated through.

When the risotto is ready, stir in the ramps and feta. If desired, stir in the spinach and bean mixture; otherwise, serve mounts of risotto in bowls or plates and top with spinach and bean mixture. Sprinkle pine nuts on top.

Serves 4-5.

Steak and Bean Soup with Ramps

A good way to use leftover steak. You could also make it with just the beans and ramps for a simpler version. I used dried Marfax beans grown by Crabapple Farm. The cooked remarkably quickly and are one of the creamiest textured beans I've ever had. Delicious. If you don't have heirloom beans handy, I suggest navy beans here.

1 cup dried beans, preferably local
6 cups beef stock
2 garlic cloves
Up to 1 lb leftover steak, sliced very thin then chopped up
1 bunch ramps (about 3 ounces), sliced thin from bulb to leaf
1 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the beans with the beef stock and garlic cloves. I did them in the slow cooker (which only took about 3 hours for the Marfax beans). You could also do this in the pressure cooker or stovetop. When they are done, remove the garlic cloves.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Quickly saute the sliced ramp bulbs and stems, then add the steak and saute just enough to warm it. Add the sliced ramp leaves and saute just long enough to wilt them.

Add the beef and ramp mixture to the beans and stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Grilled Ramps with Pesto

These were SO GOOD! I will definitely be making them again, and I am eager to try them with romesco sauce sometime as well. If you don't have pesto on hand in the freezer, eat the grilled ramps straight or try adding a bit of balsamic vinegar to the seasonings.

2 bunches of ramps (about 6 ounces total)

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup pesto

Wash the ramps and trim off the end with the roots. Spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then use your fingers to gently distribute the oil so they are fully coated all over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Carefully place the ramps on the grill over medium heat (place them cross-wise to the grate). Grill for one minute, then turn over and grill for another 30 seconds or so. Remove from heat.

Serve the ramps hot, with pesto for drizzling at the table.

Serves 2-4.

Pizza with Ramps and Feta

A simple pizza that celebrates fresh ramps.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
3 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 bunch ramps (about 3 ounces)
2-3 ounces crumbled feta

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the crust with olive oil, then sprinkle with mozzarella.

Clean the ramps and slice off the very bottom part with the roots. Slice up the rest of the ramps, from the bulb to the leaves, in about 1/8-inch slices.

Spread the sliced ramps over the mozzarella. They will cover it generously. Scatter the feta over the ramps.

Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the feta begins to brown on top.

Serves about 3.

About Ramps

Every spring I post a few recipes using ramps, but not everybody is familiar with them. They're a wild relative of the garlic and onion family. They are not cultivated but only foraged, and they show up at local markets for only a couple weeks in the spring.

Ramps ready for slicing

You can eat the entire plant (and you should!) with the exception of the roots. I like to slice the bulb and stem thinly, then cut the leave into chiffonade (thin ribbons cut cross-wise). The flavor is mild - you can even eat them raw (at least, this is true of what we call ramps here in New England; I've read a few things suggesting that maybe there are other more pungent plants that are called ramps in other places). Alternatively, try a quick grilling of whole ramps and eat them dipped in romesco sauce.

Whatever you do, if you spot ramps for sale at a farmers market or the local food coop (I saw some recently at Green Fields Market), snap them up! They're delicious, and you won't see them again for another year.

Pizza with Ramps, Eggs, and Bacon

I guess I'm on kind of an egg kick this spring. This is easy and delicious (even my six-year-old liked it!). You can really taste the flavor of the ramps alongside the bacon and egg, and the eggs come out just right with the yolks still gooey.

1 14-inch pizza crust

Olive oil

3 ounces shredded mozzarella

3 ounces ramps (1 small bunch), roots trimmed off and remainder thinly sliced (including leaves)

3 slices cooked bacon, diced

4 eggs (up to 6 if desired)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread the mozzarella over the crust, then spread the ramps and bacon over the cheese. Bake for 12 minutes.

Ready to go in the oven for the first round

Remove the pizza from the oven (leave the oven on). Carefully crack each egg onto the pizza, then carefully put the pizza back in the oven for another 4-6 minutes. You want the whites to be fully set but the yolks to still be gooey (not totally runny).

Serve hot, and slice with care.

Serves 3-4.

Mediterranean Rice Bowl with Egg, Ramps, Roasted Red Pepper, and Feta

This is sort of a riff on Bi Bim Bap, only with a Mediterranean flair to the flavors.  The assembly is pretty quick and simple, and the result is not only delicious but also very pretty as you serve it up. Personally, I didn't think it needed hot sauce, but my husband added some to his and liked the result.

1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (brown or white, your choice)
1/2 lb ramps, washed
Olive oil
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted red peppers
2-3 oz crumbled feta or goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce (optional)

Cook the rice however you normally do (I use a rice cooker).  While it cooks, assemble the rest of the meal.

Slice the root ends off the ramps.  Thinly slice the bulbs and stems and set aside, then slice the leaves cross-wise into thin ribbons and set aside separately.

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet, then add the ramp bulb and stem pieces and saute over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, until tender.  Add the leaves and saute until nicely wilted, about 1 minute, then remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a wide bottomed pot of water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Crack each egg into a cup or small bowl and gently slide it into the water.  Cook for about 3 minutes, until the whites set up, then carefully remove with a slotted spoon.

When the rice is ready, quickly heat the roasted red peppers in the skillet, then separately reheat the ramps if needed.

Assemble each bowl individually: a generous serving of rice at the bottom, then two eggs on top of it.  Add a quarter of the ramps to each bowl in a small mound, then a quarter of the red peppers in another small mound.  Top the whole thing with crumbled feta or goat cheese.  Add salt and pepper (and hot sauce if desired) at the table.

Serves 4.

Orzo with Ramps and Lemon

This side dish is simple but satisfying and flavorful.  It showcases the ramps beautifully, and it was a hit with the whole family.

Ramps are a wild allium (related to leeks and garlic) with a mild flavor.  You can eat the whole thing, from bulb to leaves.

8 oz. orzo
Olive oil
1/4 lb ramps
1 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)
Salt and pepper

Wash the ramps and slice off the root end.  Thinly slice the bulbs and stems and set aside.  Thinly slice the leaves as well and set aside separate from the bulbs and stems.

Cook the orzo in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and toss with some olive oil.

While the orzo cooks, heat a little olive oil in a skillet.  Saute the ramp bulbs and stems over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the leaves and saute until nicely wilted.  Remove from heat.

When the orzo is cooked and drained, combine it with the ramps.  Drizzle in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serves 5-6 as a side dish.

Barley with Ramps, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

Hulled barley is available from Four Star Farms; you can usually get it at Green Fields Market. You can also opt to use pearl barley for this dish; it will cook faster and is not quite as chewy in texture.

Serve this as a side dish or, if you like, add cooked beans and some toasted nuts for a heartier main dish.

1 1/2 cups hulled barley
4 1/2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable)
About 10 ramps (1 bunch)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 lb arugula, washed and chopped
1 Tbsp minced fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Toasted pine nuts for topping (optional)

Place the barley and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about an hour (for pearl barley, more like 25-30 minutes).

While the barley cooks, slice the root ends off the ramps and wash them well. Thinly slice the whites and stems, then cut the leaves cross-wise into ribbons.

Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the ramps and saute for about 1 minute. Add the arugula and saute until wilted. Stir in the sage and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the barley is done, mix it together with the vegetables and the goat cheese. With the other ingredients hot, the goat cheese should melt and spread so that it coats everything. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve hot, cold, or room temperature, topped with toasted pine nuts if desired.

Serves about 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side dish.

Asparagus-Ramp Bread Pudding with Goat Cheese and Rosemary

After making last week's Asparagus-Shiitake Bread Pudding, I've been thinking of ways to further adapt the recipe to make it faster to assemble. Here I've cut the assembly time almost in half, to about 30 minuets (it needs another 40 minutes in the oven) and made some changes to the ingredients for a fairly different flavor profile as well. To save yourself some prep time, buy the bread 1-2 days ahead and let it dry out a little.

With ramp season coming to an end, you could take this technique and use it with the ingredients in the other recipe.

1 1-lb loaf white bread (French or Italian work well), preferably a bit stale
3 cups milk
About 10 ramps (1 bunch)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs asparagus, tough ends snapped off, in 1/2-inch rounds
Salt and pepper
2-3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or oil two 8x8-inch pans or one 9x13-inch pan.

Slice the bread about 1-inch thick, then tear into chunks. Place them in a large bowl. Heat the milk to steaming, then pour over the bread and let stand.

Slice the roots off the ramps and remove any loose outer layers. Thinly slice the white part and the stems, then finely chop the leaves, keeping them separate from the whites and stems.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus and the ramp whites and stems. Season with salt and plenty of pepper. Saute over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until the asparagus turns bright green and is slightly tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Turn the bread a bit in the bowl to make sure all of it soaks up milk. Then add in the asparagus and ramps, the chopped ramp leaves and rosemary, and the crumbled goat cheese.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with 1 tsp salt. Pour the eggs into the bowl with the bread and other ingredients and mix well so that everything is coated (trying not to turn the bread to mush while you do so).

Press the mixture into the prepared pan(s). Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden and a bit puffy.

Serve hot or warm. Serves 6-8.

Polenta with Creamy Tomato Sauce, Ramps, and Beef

This is a perfect application for leftover steak or roast beef. If you'd rather start from scratch, you could also use stew beef, but in that case be sure to brown it first and then allow at least an hour for simmering. Use a fairly plain tomato sauce here.

The ramps are really nice here, but in seasons you could substitute green garlic or shallots and some greens.

Polenta
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups polenta cornmeal

Sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
10-12 ramps (about 1 bunch), roots sliced off, thinly sliced (green tops too)
3 cups tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 lb cooked steak or roast beef, diced or thinly sliced
1/2 cup cream (optional but really good)
Salt and pepper to taste

If you're using standard polenta, start it cooking before you put the sauce together. If you're using instant you can do it at the end.

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and add the salt, then slowly whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to a simmer and switch to a spoon, stirring to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Use the pan lid defensively, as bubbling polenta can spit and give a nasty burn. Simmer, stirring frequently, until nice and thick.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the ramps and saute until the greens wilt. Add the beef and pour in the tomato sauce. Simmer until the polenta is done or you are otherwise happy with it. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream if using. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Spoon the polenta into bowls and top generously with sauce.

Serves about 6.

Creamy Arugula Sauce with Ramps and Bacon

Ramps, bacon, and arugula are a winning combination in many different forms. Here the arugula is pureed (along with the leafy tops of the ramps) and stirred into creamy sauce perfect for topping pasta or polenta. The bits of ramps and bacon add nice little nuggets of flavor as you eat. If you prefer not to use cream, you can make a roux with butter and flour and add milk instead.

10-12 ramps (about 1 bunch)
6-8 strips bacon
1/2 lb arugula, washed
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the root ends off the ramps (as you would do for leeks or scallions). Rinse well to remove all dirt, and pull off any loose or ragged outer layers. Cut of the leafy tops, chop coarsely, and set aside. Slice the white parts and remaining stems into round about 1/8-inch thick. Set aside, separate from the tops.

Place the bacon in a single layer in a large skillet and fry over medium heat until they reach your desired level of doneness (for this dish, I like them a little short of crispy). Drain on paper towels. Pour off most of the fat from the skillet, then add the slice whites and stems of the ramps. Saute for about 30 seconds, then remove from the pan and set aside. Add the arugula and the ramp tops and saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until wilted.

Puree the cooked arugula and ramp tops in a food processor, then place them in a saucepan over low heat. Add the cream and stir to combine well. Warm through, then turn off the heat. Stir in the sauteed ramps and bacon and add salt and pepper to taste. Thin with water if desired (if you're making pasta, a little pasta cooking water is perfect for this).

Makes enough to serve with 1 lb pasta.

Variation: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to the sauce at the end.

Pasta with Ramp and Bacon Tomato Sauce

This will probably be my last post about ramps until next year... I was not expecting to see any more at the farmers market this past weekend, but lo and behold, Paul Lagreze (of New England Wild Edibles) was there with a few bunches left. The tops were getting past their prime, but the bulbs were big and gorgeous. Like many of their onion-y kin, ramps go nicely with bacon.

4-6 oz. bacon
1 lb uncooked pasta
1 bunch ramps, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cups tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooked the bacon over medium heat. While you do this, heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Cook the pasta, drain, and set aside. When the bacon is done, drain on paper towels, then chop.

Saute the ramps in the rendered bacon fat until they just start to turn translucent (you want them to retain some crunch), then scoop them out into a medium saucepan. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the cooked pasta with a little olive oil, then either toss with the sauce or top with sauce at the table. Serve hot. No need for cheese.

Serves about 4.

Quiche with Goat Cheese, Ramps, and Basil

Continuing on the ramps and goat cheese theme... I served this for Mothers Day brunch. I snipped a little fresh basil from our early seedlings - so good! I always like to start a little along with the tomatoes so I get a little preview ahead of the real season. Combine with local eggs and milk and you've got a great brunch or dinner item.

1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 oz goat cheese
3/4 - 1 cup chopped ramps (bulbs, stems, and leaves)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (optional but really good)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line the pie shell with aluminum foil and top with pie weights (I keep some dried beans dedicated for this purpose). Pre-bake for about 12 minutes. Remove the pie weights and foil and bake an addition 5 minutes. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then stir in the milk and salt. Set aside.

Spread the goat cheese over the bottom of the pastry shell, then add the ramps and basil. Pour the egg mixtures over it all.

Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees, or until eggs are set. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

Serves about 4.

Risotto with Ramps and Goat Cheese

Ramps are a spring treat, harvested wild around here. This recipe uses both the bulb part and the leaves and stems, which are also flavorful. I bought a couple bunches at the farmers market last weekend (along with the goat cheese), but we probably won't see them again this time. So if you don't have access to ramps, feel free to substitute scallions or spring onions. The flavor will be a bit different but should work just as well.

These directions are for pressure cooker preparation, but feel free to adapt them to the stovetop. Quantities are the same, but you add the liquid slowly, waiting until each addition of 1/2 cup or so is absorbed before adding more.

2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
1/2 cup chopped ramp bulbs
1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
3 cups water or veggie stock (I like to use 1 veg bouillon cube)
1 1/2 cups chopped ramp stems and leaves
1 1/2 oz. goat cheese
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil or butter in your pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add the ramp bulbs and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes or so until it all turns nicely translucent. Add the liquid. Put the cover on, lock it, and bring the cooker up to pressure. Cook for 7 minute at pressure, then remove from heat and release pressure.

Stir in the ramp stems and leaves, goat cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 4-5.

Arugula, Ramp, and Bacon Pizza

Yesterday I picked the first real harvest of baby arugula from our garden--just enough to put on a pizza. The ramps and bacon came from the farmers market (and this will be the last of the bacon for a while, now that I have finally used up the package that I opened for the first of the bacon dishes this week!).

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
1/4 - 1/3 cup tomato sauce
1-2 cups loosely packed arugula
2-3 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
1 bunch ramps (about 6 oz.), white part only, in thin rounds
3-4 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil, then top spread the tomato sauce over it. Spread the arugula over the sauce, then sprinkle the bacon and ramps on top. Sprinkle mozzarella over everything.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Fiddlehead Ramp Soup

Well, the farmers market was spectacular of course. I came home with, let's see, bacon, pork chops, lamb chops, lettuce, salad greens, eggs, kale, bread, ramps, fiddleheads, asparagus, and one Alpine strawberry start to add to the ones I already have in the garden. At that point, we stopped because the stroller basket was full and I wasn't sure I'd have time to cook anything else before next Saturday, when we shall repeat the process.

I discovered ramps at last year's farmers market, but I had never had fiddleheads before and decided it was high time to try them. Both are wild foods available in the Northeast at this time of year. Fiddleheads are the early shoots of the ostrich fern, curled tightly so they look like their namesake. I have heard them compared to asparagus, also an early shoot, but the flavor is milder. They are delicious and have a lovely texture. To me, they taste very green. Ramps are a wild allium, a relative of onions, leeks and garlic. Their flavor is quite sweet and mild. To prepare then, slice off the roots at the bottom and remove the outer layer. The whole thing is edible--leaves and all. I combined the two in this creamy soup, along with some bacon from Bostrom's Farm (which you can leave out if you like). It tasted like springtime in a bowl!

3-4 slices bacon
4 medium potatoes, cubed (peel or not as you like)
3 Tbsp white flour
1 bunch ramps (about 6 oz), chopped (including stems and leaves)
1/2 lb fiddleheads, well rinsed to remove chaff
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups milk

Fry the bacon in a good-sized skillet.

While it cooks, heat a bit of olive oil in a soup pot and add the potatoes. Saute, stirring frequently, for five minutes or so. Sprinkle with white flour and cook, stirring, for another minute or so. Add enough water to comfortable cover the potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are tender.

Finish frying the bacon while the potatoes cook. Drain on paper towels, then mince. Pour off most of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving 1-2 tsp. Add the ramps and fiddleheads and saute until tender (about 5 minutes).

When the potatoes are done, use and immersion blender to puree them a little bit (maybe a third or so), just enough to give the soup a creamy texture while still leaving chunks of potato. Stir in the fiddleheads, ramps, and bacon, then add the milk. Reheat on the stove if needed.

Serves 4-6.