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.
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.
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.
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.
Roasted Beet Salad with Mesclun Greens & Crumbled Chevre
Topped with a light vinaigrette and roasted pumpkin seeds, this salad is both colorful and satisfying.
Ingredients:
Roasted beets, sliced and still warm from the oven (see recipe)
2-3 cups Mesclun greens, washed and dried
½ cup crumbled chevre cheese
½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
½ cup high-quality olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small clove garlic, crushed
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To prepare vinaigrette: Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic together, seasoning with fresh ground pepper to taste.
2. To assemble the salad: Arrange Mesclun greens on a large platter and then top with beet slices. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and crumbled chevre, then drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with additional ground pepper to taste.
Roasted Garlic, Three Ways
The Hungry Mouse blog shares favorite ways to enjoy this essential aromatic ingredient: roasted, in compound butter and as an infused oil.
Ingredients:
Whole heads of garlic
8 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
Method:Â
1. Roasted: Preheat oven to 350°. Cut head(s) off of garlic about half-inch from the top, set trimmed head(s) in baking dish. (You may discard tips, or toss them into the baking dish—just keep an eye on them during roasting as these small pieces burn more easily.) Drizzle garlic with a generous swig of olive oil, seeping oil down into the head(s). Cover dish with aluminum foil, roast for 30-45 minutes until garlic is a deep caramel color and soft. Remove cloves from skin with sharp paring knife.
2. Compound Butter: Cut a stick of butter into small pieces and set in a bowl to soften. Once soft, add in mashed roasted garlic and mix together with a fork. (For 1 stick of butter, add the equivalent of half head of roasted garlic. Feel free to play with this ratio for stronger—or more subtle—versions!) Refrigerate until ready for use. Use to make garlic bread, stir it into mashed potatoes or to garnish a grilled steak.
3. Infused Oil: Set strainer over a small bowl. Take baking pan with extra olive oil and garlic skins and strain into bowl, pressing garlic skins with a spoon to squeeze out any and all extra oil. Keep garlic-infused oil in the fridge, use within one week.
Grilled-Roasted Garlic
Forget turning on the oven, you can roast garlic on the grill! These tender, smoky cloves are delicious incorporated into salad dressings, or simply spread atop slices of grilled bread for a summery starter.
Ingredients:
Whole garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Method:
1. Prepare the garlic by slicing the tops off the garlic bulbs (depending on the size of each bulb it should be around ¼ to a ½ of an inch from the top) to expose the individual cloves. Then drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with a good amount of olive oil.
2. Wrap the bulbs in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place covered bulbs on a hot grill, over indirect heat, for approximately 40 minutes (this will vary based on the exact size of your bulbs). Then open the foil and use your finger to test if they’re done. They should be nice and soft to the touch when roasted through.
3. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Use a small knife or cocktail fork to gently remove the individual roasted garlic cloves from the skins and then prepare according to your chosen recipe.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Great served with chips, or mixed into rice, this awesome salsa also makes excellent sauce for enchiladas!
Ingredients:
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeño pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped green onion
Olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 500°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. After husking the tomatillos, rinse them well in cool water (they can be sticky). Cut the stems and hard portions (if any) off the tomatillos and cut any very large ones in half.
3. Combine the tomatillos, unpeeled garlic, onion, and the jalapeno on the lined baking sheet. Spritz with extra virgin olive oil until lightly coated and toss the ingredients with your hands to make sure they are all well-coated.
4. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. If the vegetables have not charred, turn the broiler on to high and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until the skins of the peppers and tomatillos begin to turn black. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. When the vegetables have cooled, carefully squeeze the skin of the roasted garlic, releasing the soft, roasted garlic clove, into the jar of a blender or work bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining roasted vegetables and then add the salt, pepper, and lime juice. Process until the desired consistency is reached and then transfer to a serving dish.
Herb-Roasted Cauliflower
Seasoned with parsley, garlic and lemon, this incredibly easy cauliflower recipe is a keeper.
Ingredients:
4-5 cups cauliflower florets
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs of your choice, such as parsley and thyme
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Place the cauliflower florets in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
2. Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until cauliflower begins to brown in spots, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. Remove from the oven and drizzle with lemon juice, tossing to coat; serve immediately while still warm.
Rice Pilaf with Roasted Root Vegetables & Wild Mushrooms
This flavorful pilaf is simmered in our rich chicken stock and topped with roasted veggies and sautéed wild mushrooms.
Ingredients:
2 cups F&L rice blend
4 cups chicken stock
2 Cipollini onions, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sweet ground chile pepper
2 cups Roasted Root Vegetables (see recipe)
½ cup reconstituted and sautéed dried wild mushrooms (see method)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan fitted with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat, then add diced onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft and translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the rice and the sweet ground chile pepper, plus a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss together well with a slotted spoon and cook for another 2-3 minutes to toast the rice and spice mixture.
2. Add in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a light simmer. Cover and simmer until stock has been absorbed and rice is just cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit covered to steam, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the parsley. Transfer to a large serving platter and top with the roasted root vegetables and sautéed wild mushrooms.