Ramp Recipes--Told Super Fast

My four-year-old is begging for the laptop. My almost one-year-old is pulling down the curtains. And this is my life. So, if I am going to blog I must be quick. So hear it is, three ramp recipes told super quick.

1st-- Ramps are wild leeks. They grow mostly in neutral damp woods, best spot under maples.

Recipe 1-- Ramp bread.

Dough

3 cups flour.
2 teaspoons yeast.
2 teaspoons salt.

Mix in food processor, add water until dough is a wet ball, drop in oiled bowl, shape into a ball (it should be really sticky), wrap with plastic, let rise about 3 hours.

Ramps

Quickly saute greens and bulbs in a little oil to soften up and take some of the bit out of. Set aside and let cool.

Ramp Bread


After first rising, lay dough ball flat on floured surface, rub ramps over the top (as if it's a pesto pizza), kneed.

I kneed in a circle, working around the dough ball and pressing it down with the heel of my hand.

Kneed one full circle or so. Shape dough ball into the bread you want. Place on floured baking sheet. Lightly flour and cover with a small towel. Let rise for another hour.

Take out after one hour, Slice top three or four times with knife. Make an egg wash with egg whites. Brush wash over the bread; this will give it a brown color.

Preheat oven at 450. Place in bread. Spray or flick some water on the walls to create a humid chamber. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Lower heat to 350. Cook for another 20 min. or so, until when you knock the back of the bread, it sounds hollow.

All done!

Next- Ramp Pesto (I have to move faster; my kids have blankets over their heads and they are walking into walls.)

Place ramp bulbs and greens in food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

Add what you like: Olive oil. A little honey or sugar. A pinch of salt. A little pepper. Pine nuts if you want (I don't). A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Last (and my favorite)-- Pickled Ramps

Pickle Solution

2 cups of water.
1 cup of vinegar.
1 cup of sugar.
2 table spoons of salt.

Boil until everything dissolves.

Meanwhile, cut off ramp bulbs at about one inch, make sure to include the red spot at the stem. Blanch and then place in pickle jar.

Pour hot pickling solution over ramps. Let cool. Seal. Refrigerate. Love.

That's it! Forgive the typos. My kids just walked (and crawled) out the front door. I'm off!