PICKLED RAMPS

Ramps (allium tricoccum), also known as spring onion, ramson, wild leek, wild garlic, or in French, ail sauvage and ail des bois - are an early spring vegetable native to eastern North America. A wild onion of the amaryllis family, this plant has broad, smooth leaves often with dark purple or burgundy tints on the lower stems, and a scallion-like stalk and bulb. The green leaves are milder in flavor than the bulb; the entire plant gives off distinctive garlic, onion-y odor. Ramps possess a unique taste, a cross between a strong scallion, garlic, and leek, hence their culinary appeal.

Ramps were highly prized by the American Indians in part because of their high vitamin content and blood-cleansing properties. The Cherokee boiled or fried the young plants; the Iroquois ate them, and both the Objibwa and Menominee dried ramps to be stored for winter months.

According to John Mariani, author of "The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink," the English word ramp comes from the word "rams," or "ramson," an Elizabethan dialect for the wild garlic. First mentioned in English print in 1530, the word ramp was used earlier by immigrants to the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Because they are one of the first plants to emerge in the spring, ramps are celebrated in many Appalachian festivals. In central Appalachia, ramps are fried with potatoes in bacon fat or scrambled with eggs and served with bacon, pinto beans, and cornbread. Ramps can also be used in soups and other foods in place of onions and garlic, or pickled, which is, of course, what I am going to do with them.

I go foraging and collect ramps on my own whenever I can, but you can often find them at your local Farmer's Market.  There are numerous websites and articles with recipes for pickling these spring greens. I perused them all and then used my ‘pickling know-how’ keeping in mind my personal tastes, to create a brine I thought would enhance, not overwhelm their natural flavor. I chose rice wine vinegar because it is mild in taste, but a white wine vinegar would work just as well.

PICKLED RAMPS

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Raw Sugar

1/4 Cup Honey

1/2 teaspoon each - Coriander, Mustard, and mixed Peppercorn Seeds

1 dried, crushed Bay Leaf

3 Allspice Seeds

1 Lb. Cleaned Ramps (leaves removed leaving just a touch of green)

DIRECTIONS

Clean ramps and cut off green leaves. Set aside.  ( I chop and freeze the greens to use later as seasoning in soup stocks or other dishes). Blanch in heavily salted water (approximately 45 seconds ) immediately immerse in ice water bath.

Prepare pickling brine by combining vinegar, water, sugar and honey.  Bring to a boil.  Once sugar is completely dissolved add spices and remove from heat.

Carefully pack blanched ramps into sterilized canning jar (for 1 pound I used a half liter container). Pour brine over ramps to 1/4 inch of rim. Seal.

Either place in refrigerator and use after they rest for 5 days OR follow your safe canning procedures and process in a  Hot Water Bath for 10 minutes.

Keep in the pantry for up to one year.

PLANTING SEASON IS (ALMOST) HERE

Well, it has been several weeks since I have had the time to post any updates here on Preserved and Pickled.  Spring is finally “officially” here but Mother Nature hasn’t been making nice in my neck of the woods, what with lots of snow, ice storms and electrical outages; she even played her own April Fool’s joke by covering us one more time with icy rain and snow!

All the while gardening magazines continue to arrive through the mail, teasing me with images of lovely blooming flowers and vegetables, while all I can do is dream about the moment when I will actually be able to get outdoors and dig around in the dirt, hopefully cultivating more vegetables than weeds. In the meantime, I have been perusing my pickling cookbooks reviewing my tried and true recipes, exploring new possibilities, and gearing up for a busy season at work.

I am the Administrative Coordinator at Crop Production Services in Amenia, NewYork, which basically translates to the “Jane-of-all-Trades” in the office.  We are an agricultural supply company servicing mostly dairy farmers – yes, there are still dairy farmers here in our little corner of the world - as well as beef and sheep farmers, vegetable gardeners, equestrians, and anyone who plays out in their yards making the grass, flowers and trees look beautiful, so spring and summer are a particularly busy time for me.

What I am really looking forward to, though, are those few glorious moments when I am not chained to the office and can get out to the farmers markets and the fresh fruit and vegetables they will supply that I could never hope to produce on my own, as well as the fun and delicious ways I will be able to preserve them.  Stay tuned!