Ingredient Spotlight: Ramps

by Emily Matchar, Posted Mar 21st 2008 @ 9:01AM

The ramp, also known as the wild leek (Allium tricoccum), is a member of the onion family that grows wild along much of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. and Canada. With its broad, light green leaves, the ramp arrives at the tail end of winter. As in, now.

Ramps can be used in most any recipe calling for scallions or leeks - in Appalachia they're especially popular fried with bacon and potatoes. I like them in scrambled eggs, sauteed in a bit of butter. The city of Richwood, West Virginia, nicknamed "Ramp Capital of the World," has an annual ramp festival each April. In Quebec, where they're not quite as common as in Appalachia, they're considered an endangered species.

Check out more ramp info at The Forager Press, where they've got a yummy-sounding recipe for Salmon with Spring Leeks.

Source

Filed Under: Ingredient Spotlight, Ingredients
Tags: america, Onion Family, Ramp, vegetables, Wild Leek, Wild Vegetables