Porky chickpeas & leeks.

This one makes a great side.


I was lucky enough to arrive back in Brooklyn after a weekend in the Pioneer Valley with a few extra bags thanks to "Wheeler Farm." One plentiful crop growing for the Wheelers this season was the leek. Their garden was beautiful this time of the year just full of leeks, cherry tomatoes and greens waiting to be picked. Some would suggest maybe even using a tractor to carry the harvest back to the barn. I arrived home with just about 10 pounds of leeks or one shopping bag bursting open.


Today actually marks the 3rd meal in a row that has paid homage to the mighty "Wheeler" leek, cousin of the ramp we love so. Luckily this one is very simple to prepare, it is adapted from a Bittman recipe that was in the New York Times not too long ago.

• medium high heat

• brown 1/4 pound of pancetta in olive oil

• wash and rinse two pounds of sliced leeks

• simmer till tender

• add 1 can of your favorite chickpeas

• salt and pepper to taste

I planned on serving this as the main course but sometimes hungry stomach's ache for more. So, along with this went some leftover pulled braised chicken which was stewed in leeks and cherry tomatoes.

The meal turned out great, the finished plate had an Indian-American fusion feel to it. The leeks were top notch and went really well with the smokiness from the pancetta.

I couldn't resist...

Cheesy Ramp Potatoes!

This is my second meal with my Ramps.

I found this recipe for Scalloped Potatoes With Ramps on the Earthy Delights website through a google search for “scalloped potatoes ramps.”

I served these cheesy ramp potatoes with a simple (cheap) ham steak that I fried up in my old cast iron pan. I also prepared spinach sautéed in a bit of olive oil and 2 crushed garlic cloves.
My after thoughts on this recipe...
I would have liked a cheesier, sauce based scalloped potato dish. The recipe just throws the cheese on top in the last 20 minutes of cooking. If you try making this I would recommend making a béchamel sauce of sorts similar to mac and cheese sauce first and drench those taters and ramps. A little smoky bacon would have been a nice addition as well. Still a very good dish enjoyed by a few lucky people I know.
Highly recommended.

Fettuccine with Ramps alla Carbonara

This would be my secret weapon if my pasta dishes ever had to duel other pasta dishes. (Which they WILL someday!)

My Fettuccine with ramps alla carbonara comes out to visit once a year and its well worth it. A very simple dish once you find the ramps.

In the words of Alton Brown, your software:

• 1 pound of fresh pasta

• As many ramps as you can stand and or find. I used 15 bunches in this case. Cut the greens, cut the whites.

• 5 to 10 slices of prosciutto chopped

• black pepper

• 1/4 cup of pecorino romano

• pat of butter

• 1 egg

While the pasta is cooking, start by sautéing your ramp whites for a minute or two with a pat of butter. Next, add the ramp greens and chopped prosciutto. As soon as the pasta is just about al dente pull it off the heat and drain. Place the pasta back in the pan combine with the cooked mix of ramps and chopped prosciutto. Crack one egg right in there and ever so gently stir it around on low heat. You're not looking for scrambled eggs here but a nice glossy finish on your pasta. Finally, grind a whole lot of black pepper and mix in around 1/4 cup of pecorino romano and enjoy.

I sure did.

From Appalachia with love

From Appalachia with love is all I can say.

Last year, I really started getting into wild foods, farmers markets and cooking great meals myself . I heard of this wild plant called a ramp from various blogs. These ramps reportedly have the shortest harvesting season out of any plant I know, a mere 5 weeks a year tops. I've found that there is only one real farm that specializes in the growing of these wild leeks. The rest are gathered in forest land mostly throughout Appalachia. Last season, I scoured every farmers market and called different produce managers around town to no avail.

Yesterday, while walking through the Whole Foods produce section I spotted a basket filled to the brim with RAMPS! These babies were unmarked and not even priced. I grabbed a bag like a deranged maniac and stuffed it to capacity! My only fear now is how much are they charging for these?

After holding up the line at the register for a good 20 minutes the friendly cashier finally found a sku number and it came out to $2.99 per pound. I'm not sure if she gave up and just entered something else but $2.99 a pound was CHEAP. I've seen them priced online for upwards of $20.00 per pound.

Let me tell you, driving home these stink weeds lived up to their expectations. My car reeked of a very strong onion/garlic scent which I was thoroughly enjoying.

When I arrived home, I washed my little ramps off and happily put them in the fridge. Without a doubt, I will be traveling back to Whole Foods to buy them out.