Ramp Salt
Ramps (aka wild leeks, spring onions) are abundant here in the Catskills. Years ago I discovered I had huge patches of them on my property! Ever since I’ve been harvesting them in the short window of early spring when they come up. If you haven’t had them imagine a slightly garlicky, onion-y but green flavor. They are pungent!
Perfect fried up in a pan on their own - mixed into pasta, quiches, vegetables - distilled in gin as our neighbors are doing here - made into a pesto or (the path of least resistance, aside from frying them up on their own) Ramp Salt!
I made this for the first time last Spring and was so happy with the way it turned out I was excited to make it again this year. It’s super easy and makes great gifts.
RECIPE
Ramps, freshly harvested & dried
Salt
Lay the ramps out on a lined sheet pan and put in a low oven - 200 - until fully dried but not burned! It should take about 30 minutes. (see images above for reference!) Put dried ramps in a blender and add salt. I used a coarse salt this time that I wasn’t using regularly so it was the perfect opportunity to use it - but you can use whatever salt you’d like! Blend together well! I play with amounts - adding more salt to taste to create the perfect ratio. This makes a fine salt that is great for cooking with or finishing off a dish.
A quick note on harvesting: if you do in fact harvest your own please be mindful and use scissors, not ripping out the entire bulb / root. This helps preserve the plants and ensure longevity! It also helps to rotate where you harvest from allowing plants to thrive.