More About Ramps:
Ramps, also known as wild leeks or Allium tricoccum, are a type of wild onion native to North America. They have become quite popular in culinary circles for their unique flavor, which is a delightful blend of garlic and onion. This makes them a versatile ingredient in many dishes. They are often used to add a robust, aromatic quality to meals.
Ramps are one of the first green vegetables to emerge in the spring, typically from March to May. Their availability is limited to this short window, which adds to their desirability among chefs and foragers. Along with the Ramp Sunflower Seed Potato Salad recipe, here is more information about ramps:
Culinary Uses:
Raw: Eat them raw in salads or as a garnish.
Cooked: Sautée, grill, or pickle them for soups, pestos, and other dishes. Both the leaves and bulbs are edible.
Preservation: Pickle them or make ramp butter to extend their use throughout the year.
Nutritional Benefits: Ramps are rich in vitamins A and C. Also, they contain minerals like selenium and chromium. Additionally, they have antioxidant properties. So they may offer health benefits similar to other alliums. For example, garlic and onions.
Overall, ramps are a highly prized wild food with a distinctive flavor and numerous culinary applications. Consequently, their limited availability and unique taste make them a favorite among food enthusiasts and chefs alike.
A Spicy Garlicky Ramp Sauce:
Ramp Sunflower Seed Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1+1/2 lbs sized yellow potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pinches white granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 8 stalks of ramps
- 5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup plus one tablespoon raw sunflower seeds
Instructions
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Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and add a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of white granulated sugar.
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Bring the potatoes to a boil and let cook until they are soft, but still firm. They should not be mushy but you should be able to easily run a fork through them, about 20 minutes.
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Drain the potatoes and peel them while they are still warm. Cut each potato into slices and place in a large bowl.
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Heat up the vegetable broth and pour the broth over the potatoes. Let the potato slices stand in the broth for 30 minutes.
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Wash and pat dry the ramps. Trim the bulbs off of the ends and cut away any excess stalks from the bottom. Trim the ends off of the bulbs.
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Slice one or two of the bulbs into rings and set aside. Cut the leaves into thick strips and chop the rest of the bulbs. Reserve about two tablespoons of the ramp leaf strips for garnish. Set aside.
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Add the ramp leaf strips and chopped bulbs to a food processor along with the white balsamic vinegar, sea salt, white pepper and pinch of white granulated sugar. Purée the mixture.
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Add the olive oil one tablespoon at a time until everything is combined into a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust the sugar/salt ratio to your liking.
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If there is too much excess liquid in the bowl with the vegetable broth marinated potatoes after soaking them, pour it off but reserve the liquid.
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Toss the vegetable broth soaked potatoes with the ramp, vinegar and oil sauce.
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Add more sea salt, white granulated sugar and/or white pepper to taste. Toss in the 1/3 cup of raw sunflower seeds.
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If the mixture is still too dry, or the potatoes are not completely covered, mix in some more vegetable broth, one tablespoon at a time until everything is coated.
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Cover the potato salad and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Garnish with the reserved ramp leaf strips, bulb rings and the tablespoon of raw sunflower seeds before serving.
Like this Ramp Sunflower Seed Potato Salad? Also, check out some of these other recipes:
HAZELNUT RAMP BREAD KNÖDEL
SPINACH LEMON SUNFLOWER GUGELHUPF
CREAMY POTATO SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP WITH SUNFLOWER SEED PESTO CROUTONS
