Please excuse the pun … couldn’t help myself …
What’s the hot ticket in food this Spring? Ramps. You have to get to the market early to get them and you had better savor them because they make but a brief appearance and then their time is gone.
Ramps are wild leeks with a garlic and onion flavor. And for such small things, they pack a hearty flavor punch. A neat Wikipedia factoid: Folks in Appalachia have long celebrated the arrival of ramps, believing they have power as a tonic to ward off many ailments of winter. In fact, the selenium and sulfur-rich ramp is the subject of many current studies in cancer prevention and treatment.
But enough of the fact stuff, let’s get down to the recipe, which is perfect for a rainy day.
White Bean & Ramp Soup
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 bunches of ramps
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups cannellini beans, cooked
- 1/4 cup grated Paremsan cheese
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Directions
- Wash the ramps and chop the white bulbs and pink stems from the green leaves.
- Chop the ramp bulbs and stems. Place them in pile.
- Chop the ramp leaves. Place then in a separate pile.
- Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces.
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Then scoop out the pieces onto a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the chopped ramp bulbs and stems to the olive oil and bacon fat.
- Saute until tender and translucent.
- Pour in the white wine and reduce down until it’s nearly gone.
- Pour in the chicken stock.
- Stir in the ramp leaves and black pepper.
- Cover and cook until the ramp leaves are completely tender and wilted.
- Stir in the cooked cannellini beans and let things cook for about 5 minutes more.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup to desired consistency. Be careful when blending!
- Place the blended soup back into the sauce pan. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat.
- Let it come to a simmer.
- Stir in the grated cheese. Add salt to your taste.
- Pour into individual bowls and top each serving with the crispy bacon pieces.
On a related note: I saw a delightful recipe I really want to try: Fresh Goat Cheese Tarts with Ramps & Lemon Zest
Do you use ramps? What are some your favorite things to do with them?
That sounds wonderful. I made ramp crepes last year — sort of like a scallion pancake — so good. And I just use them in stir fry in place of garlic. Yum!
Ramp crepes – what a cool idea! I'll have to try it.