Ok, so, I know ramps are basically out of season. They aren't at farmers' markets any more, and they certainly aren't available from Fresh Direct any more. But they are still on the menu at ABC Kitchen — so they must still be somewhat in season, right?
Anyway, back when they were abundant a few months ago, I bought a ton of ramps and went a little crazy. When I realized that I had way more than I could ever cook, I decided to throw together a beautiful, delicious ramp butter.
This compound butter is super easy to throw together if you have a food processor. It uses both the bulbs and the leaves, which add different dimensions of flavor (and the leaves add a gorgeous, vibrant green color). I recommend using the best butter you have around or can find — I had some President in the fridge, and that worked well.
The finished butter is great on a million things — plain on biscuits or bread, on top of a nice grilled steak, roasted with fish in parchment, thrown in with some steamed mussels. But my favorite use of the ramp butter was a good grilled chicken. Using your favorite roasted chicken recipe (I like Mark Bittman's), instead of regular butter/oil, rub this ramp butter all over the bird (over and under the skin if you want). Throw some extra ramps in the roasting pan, if you want. The chicken comes out aromatic, flavorful and delicious.
Ramp Butter
1 bunch ramps (approx 15 ramps)
1 tsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. salted butter, give or take
Wash ramps thoroughly — both bulbs and leaves. Be thorough; ramps usually come really dirty, even from the grocery store. Using a sharp knife, cut off the bulb tips and separate bulbs from leaves. Finely chop bulbs and leaves (keeping each separate).
In a food processor, grind the chopped bulbs and teaspoon of olive oil until a relatively smooth paste forms. Add chopped leaves and grind until the leaves are very small pieces and the paste is bright green. Add the butter, in small pieces, and continue to blend until a uniform butter forms. You may need a little bit more or less than 6 tbsp. of butter, depending on the size of the ramps you used. Add salt to taste.
Anyway, back when they were abundant a few months ago, I bought a ton of ramps and went a little crazy. When I realized that I had way more than I could ever cook, I decided to throw together a beautiful, delicious ramp butter.
This compound butter is super easy to throw together if you have a food processor. It uses both the bulbs and the leaves, which add different dimensions of flavor (and the leaves add a gorgeous, vibrant green color). I recommend using the best butter you have around or can find — I had some President in the fridge, and that worked well.
The finished butter is great on a million things — plain on biscuits or bread, on top of a nice grilled steak, roasted with fish in parchment, thrown in with some steamed mussels. But my favorite use of the ramp butter was a good grilled chicken. Using your favorite roasted chicken recipe (I like Mark Bittman's), instead of regular butter/oil, rub this ramp butter all over the bird (over and under the skin if you want). Throw some extra ramps in the roasting pan, if you want. The chicken comes out aromatic, flavorful and delicious.
1 bunch ramps (approx 15 ramps)
1 tsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. salted butter, give or take
Wash ramps thoroughly — both bulbs and leaves. Be thorough; ramps usually come really dirty, even from the grocery store. Using a sharp knife, cut off the bulb tips and separate bulbs from leaves. Finely chop bulbs and leaves (keeping each separate).
Store butter in an airtight container in the fridge. It can keep for a few weeks, but it likely won't last that long in your fridge.
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