It officially feels like summer here in D.C., which is as good a sign as any that it is actually springtime in America.
Whether due to La Niña, or El Niño, or happenstance, or our progressively warming planet, that warm surge came early this year. After temperatures hovering in the 50s for a few weeks, they promptly shot up into the upper 80s last week and weekend. The one saving grace — that means it’s ramp season, baby.
For those not acquainted, ramps are a peculiar, mercurial member of the allium family, which includes onions, scallions, leeks and garlic. They’re more like that family’s outcast cousin — they have just a three-week growing season and are extremely difficult to cultivate on their own, so nearly all ramps are foraged from the wilds of Appalachia in early spring and both used and preserved during that window, as they won’t be seen again until this time next year.
As a native west coaster, I had never even heard of ramps until moving to the mid-Atlantic. They simply don’t grow outside of a very specific region, so this particular edition of Pretty Good will not apply to you if you can’t access them. You’ve got plenty of other wonderful fruits and vegetables in Southern California, Linda — this isn’t for you.
That said, I hope the spirit of embracing the regional and seasonal produce that is available still resonates for those who can’t access ramps. Over the last few years, we’ve tried to take full advantage of this short window and have developed a couple of standbys, which I encourage you to try, or to riff off of in whatever way makes you happy.
Ramp pesto with bucatini
1 bunch ramps, plus 1 bunch ramp greens
⅔ cup shelled pistachios
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 small or 1 large Meyer lemons, squeezed, plus zest
¾ cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
⅓-½ cup high quality olive oil
1 pound bucatini
Optional: Small container cherry/grape tomatoes
Optional: Ciliegine mozzarella balls
Boil salted pot of water for pasta.
Clean and cut roots off ramps, then cut the white bulbs (at the point where they start to turn red, several inches from the root) from one bunch to reserve for pickling. Slice the remaining full ramps and ramp leaves into roughly 2-inch sections to facilitate blending. Add to food processor with pistachios, lemon zest, and salt and blend until broken down. Add shredded cheese and continue to blend. Stream in olive oil as needed until pesto begins to form. Continue to blend and stream in lemon juice, adding more oil if needed.
Drop pasta and cook until al dente. Remove from water and place in large serving bowl. Add half of your finished pesto to pasta and turn with tongs to start to integrate. Add pasta water, ¼ cup at a time to bowl, and continue to twirl and turn over pasta until all noodles are coated with pesto. You should have enough pesto left over for a second pasta later in the week (or for other purposes).
This is a bright, punchy, garlicky pesto that’s great on its own, and even better with some halved, fresh cherry or grape tomatoes and mozzarella balls in it. Sprinkle the finished product with a little bit of flaky salt and enjoy a light, bright taste of spring.
Pickled ramps (modified from Serious Eats)
1 bunch ramp bulbs (from above)
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup white sugar
3 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp allspice
1 bay leaf
Pinch red pepper flakes
Mix vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a pot over high heat and stir until combined. Place all other ingredients into a small, clean, sterilized mason jar. When liquid reaches a boil, carefully pour into jar until full. Seal with lid and let sit on counter until it cools to room temperature, then move to the fridge. Ramps will pickle within a week and last several months.
These are great on many things, but especially on rich, smoked meats. Slice them into small rounds like the whites of a green onion to get the best texture and to stretch their use, so you can have a taste of spring all year long.