Cooking Methods: Sauté, Blanch

Since ramps are foraged in the wild, they tend to be quite dirty, and can carry forest debris. Give the bulbs and roots a good initial rinse then cut off the roots as close to the bulb as possible, and run under water, being careful to get too much water into the folds and curls of the leaves. Lay ramps out on a tea towel to dry. The leaves and bulbs are both edible, though are often cooked separately, as the bulbs take a bit more time to cook through. Ramps can be eaten raw, as you would a scallion, though they will be much stronger in flavor. The bulbs offer a nice punch of garlic flavor that's welcome in stir-fry, casseroles, soups, and potato dishes. They also make excellent pickles. The leaves are delicious when quickly sautéed, made into a pesto, or added to compound butter.