Ramps, Ramps and More Ramps!

My dear old friend Ansell and I got caught up today over lunch, he greeted me with a huge bag of ramps he'd picked at his house upstate.

Just the other day I had gotten a few bunches from the Union square green market so that last night I could ramp and asparagus risotto (note to self finish off risotto with sauteed Ramps).

The market is bursting at the seams with Ramps and Asparagus.

I love the Spring market, all the vendors who don't sell during the Winter are back swelling the ranks of farmers by nearly double. A renewed sense of life returns to the market in the Spring along with the first produce of the season.

As for ramps my recipe thought for them today is to make scallion pancakes and substitute ramps for the scallions, fry them up nice and crisp and serve them with a simple, creamy, fricassee of asparagus and mushrooms. It's too early for morels, but a few farmers have mushrooms all year round so finding some good ones shouldn't be a problem.

With a simple green salad and maybe some ginger shortbread you've made a nice meal to share with friends to celebrate the start of the season. After months of squash, potatoes and root vegetables this is indeed something to celebrate!