ramp redemption

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Ricotta Toast with Ramps and Poached Egg

One of my favorite ways to cook is to let seasonal produce inspire me. Spring brings asparagus and artichokes, peas and rhubarb, and ramps, the most elusive ingredient of all. Because this season’s most prized possession has a small window of availability, it’s pretty hard to find—a fact which proved to be a debacle for me in a story I shared here. This time I wasn’t taking any chances: I enlisted the help of the produce manager at my local Whole Foods. Kate not only called me as soon as the ramps came in, she also made sure to put some aside for me. That’s what I call service. So now that I had my hands on these beauties, what to do with them? Keep it simple. Showcase their delicate texture and garlicky flavor on crunchy toast, spread thick with creamy homemade ricotta and topped with a perfectly poached egg. This is my spring awakening.

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Ramps, also known as wild leeks, look like pinkish baby scallions with silky green leaves. Their flavor is subtly aromatic, like an onion with a hint of garlic. Creamy ricotta (make it yourself with my recipe or buy it fresh at the store) makes an ideal foil for this delicate bite. Crusty toasts are brushed with garlic oil, slathered with the ricotta, topped with savory sautéed ramps, then crowned with an oozing poached egg…the layers of flavor here are at once riveting and comforting. A perfect dish for brunch; I’m happy to make this my dinner.

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Trim the fuzzy roots from the end of the ramps. Cut the green leaves from the stems and slice crosswise into 1″ pieces. Chop the bulbs and stems into 1/2″ pieces.

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In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, melt unsalted butter. Add ramp bulbs and stems to pan and season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until ramps are softened, about 5 to 8 minutes.

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Add sliced leaves to pan and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes until wilted. Turn off heat and set aside.

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In a small bowl or measuring cup, add smashed garlic cloves to olive oil. Give it a stir and let sit to allow flavors to meld.

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Bring water to a slow boil in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan; turn down heat to reduce it to a simmer and add vinegar.

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Crack an egg into a small bowl, then slowly slide into the simmering water. Wait a few seconds until whites are opaque, then add the next egg and repeat. Use a spoon to gently flip each egg over in the water–cook until whites are set and yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. Remove eggs with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

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Toast bread; brush toast slices with garlic oil and spread thickly with ricotta.

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Spoon the sautéed ramps on top of the ricotta.

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Top each toast with a poached egg, drizzle with more garlic oil and season with flaky sea salt.

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Adapted from bon appétit
Serves 4:

1 pound ramps
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
4 thick slices of crusty country bread
1 cup fresh ricotta, preferably homemade
flaky sea salt, like Maldon

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6 thoughts on “ramp redemption

  1. leonwriter

    Cannot find any ramps even at the local Whole Foods.
    Tried it with baked garlic it was a bit lest perky but great idea.

  2. maxine

    You make your own ricotta? Wow!
    So I made a trip to my own Whole Foods, was lucky enough to find ramps, and I prepared this dishy. I wasn’t sure I would like it, but it seemed interesting, so…
    I now have a new favorite dish made with ramps! Fabulous!