Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are one of the first edible plants to emerge in Minnesota’s woodlands each spring. With their garlickly aroma and vibrant green leaves, ramps are a prized foraged food. They typically grow in shaded, moist forest areas and are often harvested by hand in April and May. Because ramps are slow to regenerate, responsible foraging, taking only one leaf per plant, or harvesting from well-managed patches is essential to protect their future.
Ramp butter is a simple way to capture the flavor of the spring season. Blend the fresh greens and bulbs into softened butter, and you’ll have a richly aromatic spread that brings a burst of spring to anything it touches. Slice off butter knobs as needed! It’s great on toast, grilled meat or fish, eggs, or roasted vegetables. You can also melt it into pasta or stir it into warm grains for an easy upgrade.
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 2 oz ramp leaves and bulbs This is 6 or so leaves.
- 1/4 tsp flakey salt
Optional
- 0.5 tsp lemon zest or pinch of chili flakes Optional
- bread
- radishes thinly sliced
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the ramps to remove any dirt. Pat dry with paper towel or let dry for a bit.
- Trim off root and throw away. Finely chop both the white bulb and green leaves. If you find that onion is a strong flavor for you, you could Sautee the white ends briefly to have a milder flavor.
- Mix chopped ramps, salt and butter in a bowl. For a smoother texture you could use a food processor or a mixer.
- Scoop the butter into a vessel for storage. If you want to be extra fancy, you could roll the butter in parchment or plastic wrap to create a log shape. This can be helpful if you’d like to use the butter for steaks.
- Chill butter in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
For Radish Toast
- Toast a thick slice of bread
- Slather with ramp butter
- Layer with thinly slide radish
- Top with a sprinkle of salt and enjoy
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