Pickled Ramps
A lovely way to preserve and enjoy these rare spring ramps for weeks to come.
Ingredients:
8 ounces ramps
2 dried red chiles
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Method:
1. Trim greens from ramps; reserve for another use—like pesto! Pack bulbs into a heatproof 1-pint jar along with dried red chiles, bay leaves, fennel seeds and black peppercorns.
2. Bring white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve. Pour over ramps to cover. Seal jar. Let cool, then chill.
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Pork Tenderloin with Morels, Ramps & White Wine Pan Sauce
Earthy morels, fragrant ramps, and a simple white wine pan sauce bring out the best in tender, perfectly seared pork—an elegant dish that captures the fleeting flavors of spring.
Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (about 1–1½ lbs)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved if large
1 small bunch ramps, trimmed and sliced (separate bulbs and greens)
1 small shallot, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped lovage or parsley
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Method:
1. Pat pork tenderloin dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear on all sides until golden brown, about 6–8 minutes total. Transfer skillet to a 400°F oven and roast for 10–15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 140–145°F. Remove from pan and let rest.
2. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add butter, then morels. Sauté until tender and lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes. Add shallot and ramp bulbs, cooking until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Let reduce by half, then add chicken stock and thyme. Simmer until slightly reduced and glossy. Stir in ramp greens and cook just until wilted. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs. Season to taste.
3. To serve, slice pork into medallions and spoon the morel and ramp sauce over top.
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Fiddlehead & Ramp Sauté with Lemon Butter
Bright, tender fiddleheads and fragrant ramps come together in a quick sauté, finished with lemon and butter for a simple celebration of spring.
Ingredients:
1 pound fiddleheads, trimmed and cleaned
1 small bunch ramps, trimmed (bulbs and greens separated)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Zest of ½ lemon
1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Method:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add fiddleheads and cook for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ramp bulbs, cooking until fragrant and just softened, about 1–2 minutes. Add blanched fiddleheads and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until tender and lightly crisp at the edges.
3. Add ramp greens and cook just until wilted. Stir in lemon zest and juice, then season with salt and pepper.
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Spring Pasta with Morels, Ramps & Fromage Blanc
Earthy morels, wild ramps, and creamy fromage blanc come together in this springtime pasta that’s as elegant as it is easy.
Ingredients:
8 ounces Lagana Vesuvio pasta (or similar curly shape)
1 cup fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved lengthwise
1 bunch ramps (bulbs and greens), cleaned and chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
â…“ cup dry white wine (optional)
½ cup fromage blanc
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon zest, to finish
Fresh herbs like tarragon or parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook Vesuvio pasta until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. In a wide skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add morels and cook for about 5 minutes until they’re tender and lightly browned. Add ramp bulbs and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in ramp greens and cook just until wilted.
3. Add the white wine to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Let it reduce for 1–2 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and stir in the fromage blanc until it melts into a creamy sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce slightly.
4. Toss in the cooked pasta and gently fold to coat with the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of lemon zest for brightness. Serve warm, garnished with chopped herbs.
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Morel & Ramp Toasts
Buttery morels and fragrant ramps piled onto toasted sourdough—simple, savory, and perfect for soaking up every last bit of spring.
Ingredients:
4 slices caramelized onion & thyme sourdough, toasted
1 cup fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved if large
1 small bunch ramps, trimmed and sliced (bulbs and greens separated)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Splash of white wine (optional)
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Optional: Soft egg or shaved cheese (or both) for topping
Method:
1. Toast sourdough slices until golden and crisp. Set aside.
2. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add morels and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ramp bulbs, cooking until fragrant and softened, about 1–2 minutes. Add a splash of white wine and let it cook down briefly.
3. Add ramp greens and cook just until wilted. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the warm morel and ramp mixture over toasted bread. Top with a soft egg and or grated cheese, if desired.
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Billy Mills’ Bread & Butter Pickles
This recipe from 1940s-era music conductor Billy Mills is a great introduction to pickling.
Ingredients:
7 cucumbers, sliced
5 white onions, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 sweet red Bullhorn pepper, chopped
¼ cup salt
Crushed ice
Pickling solution:
2½ cups white vinegar
2½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
¾ teaspoon tumeric
¼ teaspoon cloves
Method:
1. Prepare vegetables and place in a large bowl. Mix in salt and ice, then place in a cool place and let stand for at least 3 hours. Drain.
2. Mix pickling solution, add to drained vegetable in a large pot or kettle. Bring mixture to a boil, remove vegetables to canning jars immediately and cover in the hot liquid; seal.
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Roasted Ramps
Creamy poached eggs top this flavorful dish of perfectly-seasoned spring ramps.
Ingredients:
1 bunch ramps
Fresh eggs, poached
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Olive oil
Method:
1. To clean ramps, remove the thin outer layer. Rinse under cold water removing any grit. Trim off the roots.
2. Preheat oven to 350° and toss ramps with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and the leaves are slightly caramelized. Serve with a poached egg, seasoned and drizzle of olive oil.
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Pickled Quail Eggs
These stunning beauties are wonderful atop a stir-fry or served as a fun appetizer (just sprinkle with sea salt!).
Ingredients:
12 quail eggs
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pickling spice
Method:
1. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, measured salt, and pickling spice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit until the mixture cools to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath by filling a 1 ½ quart sized bowl halfway with ice and water.
3. When the three minutes are up, transfer the eggs with a slotted spoon to the ice water bath. Let sit until the eggs are cold, about 5 minutes. Carefully crack and peel each egg and gently rinse under cold water to remove any residual shell pieces. Pat the eggs dry with a paper towel and transfer them to a glass pint jar with a tight-fitting lid; set aside.
4. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a 1- or 2-cup measuring cup with a spout. Pour the cooled pickling liquid into the strainer and discard the contents of the strainer. Pour the pickling liquid over the eggs and seal the jar. Refrigerate at least 24 hours and up to 1 week. Slice in half lengthwise to serve.
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Wild Ramp-Lemon Risotto with Morel Mushrooms
This bright risotto showcases beautiful spring ramps and foraged Morel mushrooms.
Ingredients:
1 quart F&L chicken stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup sliced ramps, thoroughly cleaned and the white and green parts divided
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup Morel mushrooms, sautéed lightly in butter
¼ cup dry white wine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
½-¾ cup Grana-style cheese, for grating
Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Method:
1. In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil and then turn down to a simmer to keep hot.
2. In another large sauce pan over medium low heat, add one tablespoon butter and the sliced white portion of the ramps and sweat for two minutes. Turn the heat up and add the Arborio rice, stir for about one minute. Next, add the dry white wine to the rice and cook until it has completely evaporated, then add a ladleful of stock to the rice and continue stirring until almost absorbed.
3. Add another ladleful of stock and continue stirring. Repeat until all the stock is gone and the rice is creamy and tender.
4. Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, lemon zest. Stir in the ramp greens and mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Finally, grate cheese into the risotto and gently give the risotto one or two stirs to incorporate. Serve immediately.
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Corned Beef with F&L Pickling Spice
Savory with signature spices, this homemade corned beef is surprising easy to make!
Ingredients:
1 gallon water
2 cups kosher salt
½ cup granulated sugar
5 teaspoons coarse pink salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons F&L pickling spice
One 5-pound well-marbled beef brisket
Method:
1. In a large pot, combine the water, salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic, and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove the pot from the heat, let the brine cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until the brine is completely chilled.
2. Place the brisket in the chilled brine and weight it with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate at least overnight or up to several days, flipping the brisket once or twice.
3. Remove the brisket from the brine solution, discarding the brine. Rinse the brisket thoroughly under cool running water.
4. To make the corned beef, reach once again for a pot just large enough to hold the brisket. Place the brined brisket inside and add enough water to cover the meat. Add 2 additional tablespoons pickling spice and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and gently simmer for about 3 hours, or until the brisket is fork tender.
5. When the corned beef is done, remove it from the cooking liquid, which can be reserved, and place it on a cutting board. Slice the corned beef and serve warm.
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