Ramp Carbonara

While Googling to make sure I got the spelling right I ran across a recent post on this subject from some Cleveland area food guy you may have heard of. It's here (pretty nice picture too).

If you've read some of the older posts here you know I love this dish, and am not afraid to bastardize it (not only once, but twice). Here it's with Ohio Mennonite organic Berkshire bacon picked up at the Shaker Farmers Market (County Gristmill), Ohio City Pasta's vegan red pepper pasta, Plum Creek Poultry eggs, and ramp tops. The eggs and ramps are also from the Market. Not sure the wide red pepper noodles added to the dish, but they certainly didn't take anything away.

Eggs and ramps go together very well, as do ramps and cheese, which can be enjoyed these days on a pizza at Bar Cento (it's the chef's wife, but trust her on this). But ramp season is about over, which would be sad if it didn't mean that a lot of great stuff is on the way.

Cooking Local and Wild

Braised Lamb Shank with Mint Gemolata and Braising Liquid, Sauteed Wild/Japanese Asparagus, and Ramp Risotto. Two hits, two misses. Shank and risotto, very good. Gemolata and wild asparagus, not so much. The gremolata, shown in progress below, with lemon zest, salt, mint (scavenged from the community garden), and a bit of olive oil was too citrusy. A little less zest and/or more mint and it may have worked.

As for the asparagus, bartered for at the Shaker Square Farmers Market, it wasn't for me. It tasted green and grassy to the point where I wasn't really sure it should be eaten. I had just sauteed it in olive oil with salt and pepper and added a little water to steam it at the end. They weren't to my liking. It may have just been me.

I also picked up the lamb shank and ramps at the Market. The lamb shank, also pictured below, came perfectly trimmed and looked great. First, I seasoned the shank with salt, pepper, and cumin and then browned it in olive oil. Then the shank was removed from the pot and some red wine was added and reduced. After the wine reduced in went a small can of tomatoes that I crushed somewhat with my hands. Once that was at a boil I seasoned with salt and pepper, added the shank back in, and then added some homemade veggie stock to come about halfway up the shank. The pot was then covered and placed in a 325 degree oven for about an hour and a half. After that the shank was removed from the liquid and kept warm in the turned off oven while the sauce was reduced down. Resting under the shank are some of the crushed tomatoes.

The ramp risotto recipe is not too different from this one. I used my usual method, substituting ramp bulbs and shallot for onion in the base saute. I also used the homemade veggie stock in place of the usual chicken stock. All that was was a bunch of old but still okay looking vegetables and mushrooms slowly boiled for about an hour and then strained. At the end I added some butter, cheese, and some chopped ramp tops.

That's it.

Ramp Pesto

This isn't just an advertisement for my need to purchase a tripod, it's also a nice way to ensure that I'll being enjoying the seasonal wild leeks for an extended period of time. Also amazing is how long a pesto will keep in the fridge, particularly when topped off with a thin film of olive oil. It tastes fresh for weeks (at least). This may not be a traditional pesto, but hopefully no one will be offended.

Ingredients:
- Ramps, cleaned
- Pecans, lightly toasted (walnuts, and of course pine nuts, would be fine substitutes)
- Parmesan cheese, cut in pieces or grated (an aged Asiago or even a Pecorino would be good too)
- Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper

Method:
- Bring salted water to a boil (I was making pasta anyway)
- Dip ramp leaves in boiling water for just under a minute
- Run ramps under cold water and then dry with paper towels
- Roughly chop ramps and add to a food processor with some olive oil and salt and pepper
- Process briefly, then add toasted pecans and some more olive oil
- Process for a while adding oil as you think is necessary to get a relatively smooth paste (or whatever consistency you like)
- Add cheese when the consistency is just about right (grated cheese will incorporate much easier than chunks) and process it in

When the pesto is how you like it store in a clean tightly covered jar. To use, add a dollop or two to cooked pasta (You may want to save some of the pasta water to thin out the pesto if necessary, although the pesto is pretty loose once it mingles with warm, slightly moist noodles.). You probably don't want to add too much heat to the pesto, as it's good as is.

Pictured below is the pesto on farfalle, a pasta shape I can usually do without. Still, it works great with pesto. It's alongside some mock artisanal baguette.

Tastes like Spring

Alaskan Halibut from Kate's Fish, Blue Oyster Mushrooms from Killbuck Valley Mushrooms, Bacon from Country Gristmill (organic, Berkshire), and Ramps from another vendor at North Union's Shaker Square Farmers Market. I know I'm not the first person around Cleveland to pair ramps and halibut this season, and I can understand why. Despite today's quick snowfall, the ramps are definite proof that it is spring. Morel's are right around the corner.

Ingredients:
- Halibut (or any fish)
- Blue Oyster Mushrooms (or any mushrooms)
- Ramps, cleaned (no substitute for the taste, but kale cooked with garlic could work well too)
- Bacon, chopped
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Canola or other high heat vegetable oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Three pans

Method:
- Preheat oven to 425
- Melt a bunch of butter and very slowly saute seasoned mushrooms
- Once the mushrooms are cooked add some olive oil to taste and leave over a very low flame, stirring occasionally
- While mushrooms are cooking render the chopped bacon over moderately low heat
- Once bacon is crispy remove it to a paper towel and add ramps to the pan with some salt and pepper, turning the ramps around to coat with the rendered fat
- While ramps are slowly cooking heat up third pan over high heat and add equal parts butter and Canola (or other vegetable oil)
- Place seasoned halibut in the hot third pan, flesh side down
- Keep on eye on the ramps. I don't think it's too common to cook the stems and roots together, but these roots were thin and it worked well
- Once flesh side of the fish is well browned flip and place in hot oven until it's done
- While fish is finishing in the oven dry the ramps with a paper towel and plate
- Then plate the mushrooms, topping with the fully cooked fish
- Garnish with the crispy bacon

This was a great seasonal meal. Really simple and fresh. I'll likely make pesto with the rest of the ramps, which I'm keeping by storing them on the counter in a cup with the roots barely submerged in water and a plastic bag over stems. The ramps were a great surprise at the Farmers Market, although I think I was one of the few unsuspecting people there.

It's been a ramp filled weekend. Bar Cento is serving the stuff on pizza. It's great, but you may want to bring some gum for afterwards.