Wild ramps, also known as wild leeks are abundant on the hillsides of Vermont in the springtime. The flavor of these wild leeks is spectacular, and because of their short growing season, when ramps are ready for harvest I try to use them in as many recipes as possible.

We feature wild leeks in two recipes in the Vermont Local Pantry cookbook, they are the star of the show in the Potato and Wild Leek Gratin as well as the Wild Leek and Fiddlehead Soup!

I like to try to preserve ramps to enjoy their flavors throughout the year, and I often make ramp pesto to freeze, or simply chop and dehydrate the ramp leaves to use as a seasoning. While it is nice to have some ramps put away, still nothing compares to wild ramps enjoyed fresh.

Sustainable Harvesting of Wild Leeks

I love the process of foraging for wild ramps. They are ready for harvest in the most beautiful time of year, when the sunshine is strong, the earth is coming alive again and I will take any excuse I can find to be outside enjoying the springtime. I usually start to look for ramps in late April here in Southern Vermont, and continue to harvest into May. Ramps grow in the forest, often on wooded hillsides where the soil is damp. Once you develop an eye for finding these plants you will start to see them all over the place, their bright green color standing out before many other plants begin to turn green.

It is vitally important to harvest wild leeks responsibly. Similar to any other wild plant, over harvesting can be detrimental to a patch of ramps. These plants are slow to grow, taking years to reach maturity, and it is important to keep this in mind when harvesting. It is best to take only one leaf from any given plant, allowing the plant to continue growing. You will find that in a large patch there are more than enough ramps, and you can have plenty for yourself without making a visible impact on the patch. I won’t go into much more detail here, but when you’re ready to find some ramps for yourself you can find many resources online for learning about how to safely identify and harvest ramps!

How to Use Wild Leek Butter

This butter is delicious on toast, for a quick and easy ‘garlic bread’ snack. But I also love to use the wild leek butter to sauté veggies, or cook meat. Try using this wild leek butter to baste a steak or a chicken breast, spooning the melted butter repeatedly over the meat as it cooks. If you’re a fan of pasta, you can also enjoy wild leek butter melted over pasta for a quick and delicious dinner!

Vermont Wild Leek Butter Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 ounces ramp leaves 
• 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
• ½ tablespoon cold water 

Instructions: 

1. Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to the boil for blanching the ramp leaves. Once the water has reached a boil add in the ramp leaves for 20 to 30 seconds until they are bright green. Remove from the boiling water and immediately place in a bowl with cold water to stop any further cooking. 
2. Squeeze as much excess water from the ramp leaves as possible. 
3. Roughly chop the blanched ramp leaves and place in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of cold water. 
4. Blend until the ramps are thoroughally chopped. Once the ramps are thoroughly chopped, add in the butter. 
5. Blend continuously until the butter is light and fluffy and begins to turn green and the ramps are thoroughly incorporated.