Project Foodie - Spring Ramps

Spring Ramps - Catch the Fever!

I LOVE SPRING TIME!!! I can not stress that enough. I love everything about it. The longer days. The sounds of children playing outside. Beers on patios. And to be honest, I am a lot more likeable in the spring (just ask my wife). Some years it can be difficult to figure out when spring has actually arrived. Some people use the groundhog method. Did he see his shadow? Did he not? If he did, what does that mean again? Some look towards the calendar, but when it's mid-April and there's a blizzard outside… Don't get me started. It's all so confusing. However, for chefs and foodies, alike, determining the exact time when spring has arrived is actually quite simple. When the ramps, asparagus and spring garlic show up at the local farmers' markets, spring has reared its beautiful head.

In Toronto, Canada, where I live, some farmers' markets operate for 12 months. Vendors sell root vegetables from storage and supplement with imported produce. But the seasonal markets that open in the spring inevitably time their kick-off with the availability of the aforementioned ingredients. It's a very exciting time. In the land where winter can last up to six months, foodies get very excited at the prospect of local green vegetables. We begin dreaming of green food. We salivate at the thought of fresh, bright, colorful dishes. Is there a danger of overdosing on asparagus?

So what does one do first with the first crops of the year? That's easy. The ramps have to be pickled. Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are among the first plants to emerge in the spring. They grow in moist, deciduous forests like Maple and have a distinct aroma and flavour, similar to spring onions and garlic. I like to buy as much as my friend Dael will sell to me at the Riverdale Farmer's Market http://www.friendsofriverdalefarm.com/market.htm. I take the ramps to my kitchen (my first batch was 12 pounds), cut off the root end, separate the bulbs from the leaves, and wash them at least three times. Then I blanch the bulbs and pour my pickling liquid over the top (see below for the recipe). I carry out this procedure about five times throughout the spring until I have amassed enough pickled ramps to get me through the year. Why? Because I NEED THEM. It's not just that I like them. I actually NEED THEM.

Pickled ramps accentuate so many different dishes. They pair perfectly with my terrines and pates. My brown butter sauce for soft shell crab would be lifeless without pickled ramps. I even use the pickling liquid in the form of a foam that makes roast duck and squab weep with excitement. The greens usually get folded into vegetable ragouts. I love the way they puff up as if they're saying "Look at me. Now you guys have some life." I also cook the leaves until they are very tender and blend them into a silky green puree. Mashed potatoes with ramp puree are sinful. And who can resist a green goddess sauce made from reduced chicken stock or fish fume with crème fraiche and ramp green puree? Try it on fresh, wild fish or perfectly seared sea scallops.

Once the ramps have been pickled, I turn my attention to the other seasonal beauties. I find every possible incarnation for spring garlic and asparagus. I love chilled asparagus soup. I salivate at the thought of roasted asparagus with fried eggs and Parmagianna Reggiano. Spring garlic works with just about everything. Potato croquettes with spring garlic & bacon is a favorite. Or spring garlic that has been confited (cooked slowly in olive oil) and lightly grilled is a simple way to taste the essence of spring. After six months of heavy, starch-laden comfort foods it is nice to be able to savor, or should I say devour, every fresh, local, green veggie in sight.

Pickled Ramps

½ pound cleaned ramps
1 tsp fenugreek
4 tsp coriander
2 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Thai Chili
3 tsp fennel seed
1 litre rice vinegar
½ litre water
3/4 cup sugar

1. Place the spices in a pan and roast them on a medium heat until they are fragrant.
2. Add the toasted spices to the rest of the ingredients and bring them to a boil allowing the sugar to dissolve, forming the pickling liquid.
3. Place the ramps into a clean container and pour pickling liquid over them.
4. Cover with a lid and allow them to cool at room temperature.
5. Put ramps into the fridge for one week and then begin using them with everything and anything.

About Ezra Title

Ezra Title has dedicated his professional career to the highest levels of restaurant cooking by working for some of the most highly accomplished chefs. From Massimo Capra in Toronto to Daniel Boulud and Dan Barber in New York to Traci Des Jardins in San Francisco, Ezra has learned classical French technique and developed an affinity for local ingredients that results in distinctive, inspired cuisine of uncompromising quality. Ezra Title is the chef/owner of chezvous, an at-home restaurant concept that brings vibrant cuisine and personalized service into the comfort of one's home. All of the chezvous menus are customized according to customer's tastes and ingredients are sourced directly from local growers and producers around Toronto. Ezra's love of classical French technique and affinity for local ingredients results in distinctive, inspired cuisine of uncompromising quality. For more information on turning your dining room into a five-star restaurant, contact chezvous at: http://www.chezvousdining.ca or email Ezra directly at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it