I kept something hidden from you all. In the best salmon I’ve ever had recipe post, I left out of my buddy’s (Calvin) write up was a ramp pesto to compliment the potatoes. The reasoning at the time was:
- Ramps were no where to be found in the various grocery stores around me – I had never even heard of them until then.
- It would’ve been too much to add another thing to the meal – I had to simplify a bit.
Fast forward to last week. A different friend of mine who is an avid forager for morels Snapped (via the Snapchat app) some pics of ramps he harvested. Until then, I had no clue our Minnesota woods grew the “en vogue little vegetables with the slightly unappealing name, that appear on every hip restaurateur’s menu, and whose very presence has been known to incite riots at farmers’ markets*.”
So I did some research.
After seeing some images, I knew I had seen plants that had the same look in the morel woods I frequent – if you’re avid morel forager, you get to know your woods better than the back of your hand (by the way, if you want get the most comprehensive guide to foraging morels, check out my series on them HERE). The very next day I went out looking high and low for them. It took me all of about 7 minutes to come across some; there weren’t groves as some websites portray them, but I managed to dig some up.
I didn’t go nuts and dig up the entire woods; mostly because more credible sites cite over-harvesting concerns. This is why, before proceeding, I want to emphasize the importance of our stewardship to the land. If you come across some, only take a maximum of one tenth of the ones you see. The reason is that, more often than not, you’re probably sharing morel woods with others and they could also be harvesting ramps – therefore, a snowball effect could potentially occur. So be thoughtful with how you harvest.
Speaking of harvesting, while you’re out in your morel woods this weekend, keep an eye for these leafy greens. They’re mighty tasty and a great compliment to morels on the dinner table (I’ll be posting an easy recipe with both next week) as well as in salads, eggs, and just about any recipe that calls for onions and/or garlic.
In the meantime, let’s jump to the next post that covers what you need and what to look for: Ramp Up Your Foraging Game.
*http://www.eater.com/2015/4/10/8384255/everything-youve-always-wanted-to-know-about-ramps