Ramps have been celebrated for generations throughout Appalachia as the first sign of spring.
And like spring, you might even say that you can smell them in the air.
But the ramp’s reputation as a little stinker is undeserved. Would we poke the same kind of fun at the onion or the beloved garlic bulb, which are no less smelly and sharp?
These flavorful wild leeks combine the best of both and are as versatile in cooking as green onions or garlic. They add a commanding savory flavor to a variety of dishes.
In Northeast Ohio, the ramp certainly doesn’t hold the same fascination as it does in West Virginia, where ramp festivals abound. But that may be changing.
Last weekend, hardy fans braved April snow flurries and temperatures in the 30s to celebrate the ramp’s arrival at Ramp Up Peninsula, a festival sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
Longtime fans and newbies alike gathered to cook up and eat the wild roots.
Mary Hospodarsky, owner of Sweet Mary’s Bakery (www.sweetmarysbakery.com), said she had never worked with ramps before, but was impressed with the complexity of their flavor, which combines the best of garlic and onion.
She foraged for them at Portage Lakes and baked them into individual focaccia rolls and mini-quiches made inside a shell of puff pastry.
Autumn Johnston, also known as the Pierogi Lady, made ramp and potato pierogi, with and without bacon. She said the garlicky flavor worked well with the traditional potato filling.
Johnston’s parents and uncle foraged for the ramps in Hinckley.
Charley Murphy, owner of Stray Dog, which sells hot dogs and sausages from carts throughout downtown Akron, added chopped ramps to his homemade pickle relish for topping his sandwiches.
Paul Baker of Bake’s Concessions of Peninsula said he has been cooking with ramps for years, and figured turning them into a variety of dishes would be an easy task.
Baker’s business specializes in deep-fried, battered items (cheese, Oreos, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) and he knew that ramps would work as well. “You can deep-fry anything,” he said.
For those who want to try deep-frying ramps at home, Baker recommended using a cornmeal batter similar to one that would be used on a corn dog.
Baker also prepared fried potatoes with ramps, which is a classic way to enjoy them in Appalachia, often cooked in bacon grease.
Don Carroll, who was selling fresh ramps, said many locals were purchasing them in hopes of rooting them in their yards so they can have a ready source, instead of having to forage next spring.
Getting ramps to multiply in a more cultivated setting, however, can be tricky, he said.
Eric Ucker of Canal Fulton was buying ramps to plant for his 93-year-old mother, Neva Ucker, a West Virginia native who enjoys cooking and eating them.
Ucker said he wasn’t sure whether the plants would survive the deer, but he was willing to give it a try.
Pat Cingel of Green purchased fresh ramps to cook at home, because she hasn’t had them in a long time. “We haven’t been able to find them,” she said.
Cingel likes to prepare ramps in a simple sauté, cooking them in olive oil in a cast-iron skillet, often alongside eggs.
For cooks who enjoy preparing ramps, it’s not unusual to simply cook up a skillet full, the way one might sauté peppers and onions, and then to use them alongside a variety of dishes.
Foragers can still find ramps, and they are available for purchase at some local farmers markets. If you happen to find some, don’t believe what you’ve heard about the smell. Try them in a sauté or substitute them for onions in favorite recipes.
When cooking with ramps, clean them the same way you would a green onion: Cut off their roots and outermost leaves and wash well.
The leafy green part and the bulb are edible, although the leaves can get a little tough the later it gets in the season. Just trim an inch or so off the tops before cooking to rectify this problem.
Here are a few recipes to try:
DEEP FRIED RAMPS
1 lb. ramps
2 cups pancake mix
⅔ cup yellow cornmeal
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups water
Canola oil, for frying
Wash and dry ramps. Peel away rough outer layer and trim roots off, but leave whole.
Combine pancake mix and cornmeal. Add egg and mix well. Add water to make a smooth batter.
In a skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to sizzling.
Dip ramps into batter, up to dark green leaves. Place into hot oil, leaving leaves outside of oil. Fry until golden brown. Serve hot.
Makes 1 pound.
— Adapted from Bake’s Concessions;
batter adapted from www.cooks.com
RAMP SOUP
1 lb. ramps
½ sweet onion such as a Vidalia or a Walla Walla, thinly sliced
¼ tsp. white pepper
Salt
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
⅓ cup dry white wine
3½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Extra virgin olive oil, for garnish
Trim roots from ramps and slip off outer skin if loose. Cut green tops from ramps and coarsely chop enough greens to measure 3 cups (reserve remainder for another use). Thinly slice ramp bulbs, including pink stems.
Cook ramp bulbs, onion, white pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add wine, then boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until evaporated completely. Add broth and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until onions and ramps are very soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in ramp greens and boil 1 minute.
Working in batches, purée soup in a blender until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch (use caution when blending hot liquids), then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids.
Return soup to cleaned pot and bring just to a boil. Whisk in cheese and butter until smooth.
Season with salt to taste. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil, if desired.
Makes four servings.
— Adapted from www.epicurious.com.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.