Ramp it Up

I can't remember exactly when I first heard someone mention ramps, but I do remember having absolutely no clue what they were talking about. And in fear of seeming "uncultured" I ignored the part of the conversation that I didn't understand and nodded my head sagely in agreement. Or at least this is what I picture myself doing. At long last I have discovered what in the world ramps are and I can nod my head knowingly without feeling guilty the next time someone brings them up. They are very similar to scallions and leeks, with a bit more of a garlic flavor than its cousins. They are native to North America and only available in the spring which might be why it's taken me so long to discover what they are. I bought a bundle of ramps the other day not knowing what I would use them for and because I have little to no planning skills I bought a fennel and a bunch of rainbow carrots and thought that SURELY I could make something appetizing with this trio.

I've had fennel on only two other occasions and because of it's strong licorice flavor it's not one of my favorite things to eat, but recently for whatever reason, it's wormed its way into my mind and I wanted to give it a try again. The rainbow carrots caught my eye simply because they are beautiful! Look at those colors! They beg you to buy and eat them. Biting into a raw carrot while slicing them for this recipe took me to heaven! Slight exaggeration... but they really are VERY good!

After cutting the ramps away from the green leaves I sliced them thinly with a pairing knife. Don't discard the greens, they are full of flavor and can be used in soups or stocks. I put mine in a freezer bag and added a little bit of water and sucked the air out and popped them in the freezer. Next, cut away the stems from the fennel, remove 1/2 inch off the bottom and cut it in half. Remove the core from each half. Slice thinly, lengthwise. Remove green stems from carrots, wash carrots thoroughly and slice thinly.

In a small bowl crack an egg and add water and beat slightly. Add to fennel mixture and combine with salt, pepper, thyme, and parm cheese. Add to baking dish and top with feta cheese.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add panko breadcrumbs. Watch closely and stir frequently until panko turns light brown and is toasted. Sprinkle panko over baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with more Parmesan cheese just before serving.

The final result: Wow! This stuff is good. And Joel's not here to sample it and affirm what I'm thinking, this is a winner! The fennel pairs perfectly with the delicate flavor of the ramps and the carrots add the needed color to make this dish really stand out. Luckily the licorice emanating from the fennel lessens after cooking and the result is a perfect balance of flavors.

Ramp, Fennel, and Carrot Gratin
Serves 4-6 as a side dish

6 ramps, greens removed, sliced thinly
8 rainbow carrots, sliced thinly
1 medium fennel, trimmed and sliced thinly
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup block feta cheese, sliced thinly
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 2.2 quart baking dish with vegetable spray. In a large bowl combine, ramps, fennel, and carrots. In a small bowl slightly beat egg and add water. Add egg to large bowl and combine thyme, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese; toss gently.  Place in oven proof baking dish and top with feta cheese. Melt butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add panko breadcrumbs and stir frequently until panko is toasted, about 3 minutes. Top panko breadcrumbs over dish and bake for 40 minutes.  Allow to cool before serving.


 up next... peanut butter stuffed jalapenos??

Tangy Buttered Beets

Like many people for years my only encounter with beets was during the holidays and out of a can, an unpleasant experience to say the least. I never touched them. I didn't like the texture, color, or smell emanating from the can and it was many years later after college that I was served freshly roasted beets and I'll never forget my surprise that something could taste so different prepared with fresh ingredients. Beets have a buttery, earthy flavor and they are super easy to prepare at home. If tasting delicious isn't enough to sway you to try this recipe then consider that beets pack a nutritional punch as well. They are high in folate, manganese, and potassium and the stems and leafs are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron and calcium. So before you go chopping off the stems think twice, they cook up just as nicely as the beets themselves.

Beets come in purple, golden, or pink and white striped varieties and they all work interchangeably in this recipe. Look for beets with unblemished bulbs and bright green unwilted leaves for optimal flavor. First I removed the stems and leaves and washed them under cold running water. Then I used a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the beet root and cut them into quarters and diced them. I decided to try two different styles of preparation. In one pan I used plain tap water to steam the beets and a dijon mustard and tossed it with butter. In the other pot I had red wine vinegar and a spicy southwest mustard with butter. My husband and I both agreed that the red wine vinegar and spicy southwest mustard had more flavor, I thought the dijon had too much of a bite and I liked the subtle mustard flavor of the southwest sauce and a little kick of spice.

Keep a close eye on the level of liquid in your pan, it can scorch easily if left on the stove too long. Beets retain a good deal of their nutrition when steamed for less than 15 minutes if you need another reason to keep a close eye on your timer. I promise this recipe won't disappoint!

Adapted from a recipe from Whole Foods Market website.

Tangy Buttered Beets
Serves 4 to 6

1 1/2 pounds beets, with stems and greens attached 

6 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or water)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons spicy southwest mustard (or your favorite fancy mustard)
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash beets and stems thoroughly under cold running water. Remove leafy greens from the stem and set leaves aside. Cut stems into 1 inch pieces. Peel and cut beets into 1-inch chucks and add to a bowl with stems.

Bring red wine vinegar to a boil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add beets and stems, cover and cook until almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle greens over the top, cover again and cook until beets, stems and greens are tender, adding more liquid if needed, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, toss with butter, spicy mustard, salt and pepper and serve hot, at room temperature or cold.