RAMPS!!!

These are the gorgeous ramps I came across this past Sunday at the Farmer's Market outside the American Museum of Natural History.

And this is the AMAZING dinner I just made with them.

Here's the scoop:

I first found ramps at DePiero's, a market I've mentioned many times before. That was three years ago. I had heard about this seasonal item on Top Chef a few seasons before. (Casey was really excited to find them at the store and planned her whole dish around them.) I'd never heard of them, but I always get excited when I find some new produce variety to try. That first time I found them I bought a large bunch with no knowledge and no plan. Thanks to my trusty friend Internet, I found this recipe. I made it with those first ramps, and it quickly became a seasonal favorite of both my husband and myself. I've made this dish about twice a year since then-- a total of six or seven times. Once or twice I substituted different fish, but basically have made very few changes to the original recipe.

Salmon with Spring Leeks in a
Wild Mushroom Wine Sauce
Adapted from The Forager Press

Ingredients:

Salmon Filets for four people (I use about 1 1/2lbs)
Juice of half a good orange
Zest of the same orange
1/2 to 3/4 lb of fresh wild mushrooms (I use a mix of whatever looks best at the market. Today it was trumpets, clam shells, and oyster mushrooms)
1/2 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of vegetable or fish broth
1/4 cup of heavy cream (half and half is totally sufficient)
3 Tbsp butter

And here's the magical ingredient:
About 1/2 pound of ramps
The original recipe calls for these two items:
1/2 clove of finely chopped garlic AND 1/3 cup fresh Leek greens sliced across in 3/4 inch strips.
I use the bulb of the ramps IN PLACE OF the garlic and the leafy tops for the greens as noted. 1/2 lb of ramps yields much more than 1/3 cup of greens. If you want a milder flavor only use 1/4 lb of ramps.

Directions:

1. Put the Salmon on a plate and cover with the orange juice. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

2. Chop the mushrooms to bite size. Slice the ramp bulbs crosswise into small discs. Slice the leafy part of ramps into 1 inch strips.

3. Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and add the ramp bottoms until the butter is bubbling around the pieces.

Add the mushrooms. When the mushrooms are softened and starting to brown, stir in the leek greens until wilted and dark green.

4. Add the stock and wine and reduce by half.

5. Use remaining Tbsp of butter to dot the top of salmon. Place under the broiler for about 8 minutes while reducing the sauce.

6. When reduced add the cream and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Spoon the mushrooms onto plates

and place the fish on top. Garnish with orange zest.

Serve with roasted potatoes.

Ahhhhh. That's me sighing a big I'm so-full-of-something-so-good sigh. Ahhhhhh. There it is again.