On the heels of the lilacs, we had another great find. Ramps . Not the most common vegetable, but being New York Foodies, we have loved this spring vegetable for years -- never really knowing where to find it...until we happened on a field of it in the woods behind our house. Ramps love dappled sunlight in wooded areas...just what we have! Technically they are called a wild leek, but as a restaurant-owning friend of ours calls them they are "the caviar of onions." Most definitely.
Identifiable by the two split leaves (looking kind of like lily of the valley), once dug up they have small white bulbs resembling onions. Pan fried with olive oil and served with nothing but salt and pepper they are the best. They can also be grilled or pickled. For those of us lucky enough to have a small field of them we have also made our own ramp butter from the leaves -- the most flavorful butter for vegetables or steak you will ever have...just get out the Cusinart and blend unsalted butter with sea salt and a handful of the leaves and you won't be disappointed. Jealous?
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