Ramps 101

Y-A-Y for RAMPS!

Found some at my local Wegmans yesterday for $12.99/lb! I'd been searching for them locally in New Jersey this year instead of making the 60+ mile trip to NYC's Union Square Greenmarket (increasing my carbon footprint by travelling so far would defeat the purpose of trying to 'eat local') and was stunned to find them at my regular supermarket for such a good price.

I'd also asked my mother-in-law Barbara to be on the lookout for ramps - she'd been scanning her local farmers markets and grocery stores in Bucks County, PA for the last couple weeks. And she too found wild ramps at her local Wegmans for $12.99/lb. But when she called me to report her exciting find, she sheepishly admitted that she didn't buy any because she didn't have the faintest idea what to do with them. So I thought I'd do a quick primer for her so she can go back and get some before the short season is over.

How to Prepare Ramps

1. Give them a good rinse to get off all the dirt:


2. Cut off the bulb and roots:


3. Peel off the slimy membrane from the stem:


4. Rinse them again to remove any leftover dirt and membrane on the stems:


5. Give them a spin in a salad spinner (or towel them off):


Clean, dry and ready to use!


Ramps have a distinctive odor when raw but don't let that scare you off, they are surprisingly mild when cooked, possessing a sweet scallion-y flavor with a hint of garlic (similar to garlic chives). Try substituting ramps in recipes that call for leeks, scallions, or onions.

The easiest and best way to enjoy ramps is grilled. Simply toss whole ramps in some extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill until lightly charred. Grilling brings out their natural sweetness and makes them utterly irresistible.


Another easy way to enjoy ramps is in scrambled eggs. Lightly sauté chopped ramps (stems and leaves) in butter over medium heat for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to low and add beaten eggs. Cook over low heat, pushing eggs around gently with a spatula to form 'curds'. Right before the curds are set, stir in some shredded gruyere or fontina cheese.


Or if you are watching your cholesterol, try an egg white 'scramble' with ramps and asiago cheese (my breakfast this morning):


For more ideas on how to enjoy this seasonal delight, check out my ramp cooking marathon from last year.

Now go get your ramp on, Barbara!

Ramps 101

Weird Food Wednesdays: Juustoleipä

Juustoleipä or leipäjuusto translates to "bread cheese" in Finnish and its signature browned exterior comes from being baked during the cheesemaking process!

You're unlikely to find the reindeer version of this cheese outside of Finland or Scandinavia (juustoleipä is traditionally made with reindeer milk), but you can probably find domestically produced cows milk 'bread cheese' from Wisconsin at your local supermarket.

I've been staring at the Carr Valley Cheese version at my local Wegmans for months, and I finally brought some home with me after trying a sample during a cooking demonstration ("It's like grilled cheese without the bread!")

Relatively inexpensive at $11.49/lb, $8 bought me a fairly substantial slab of bread cheese.

With such a large piece of cheese we were able to try it in every way possible to find our favorite preparation.

Plain/ unheated - mild buttery flavor, similar to mozzarella but a bit saltier. There was a rich milky flavor present which reminded me of Indian paneer cheese. Firm chewy texture, mild squeak when you bite into it:


Dipped in coffee - surprisingly good! The bread cheese takes on a sweet profile when dipped in coffee (with milk and sugar). And it hardly melted at all:


Soaked in coffee - took on more of the coffee flavor when soaked for 10 minutes in coffee. Delicious! Melted slightly and produced the squeakiest cheese:


The packaging recommended sautéing the bread cheese in a skillet and topping with jam, honey & walnuts, or syrup. I cut the breadcheese into 3/4 inch cubes and let them brown in a non-stick skillet, flipping them after a few minutes on each side. The outsides get crispy and while the insides don't completely melt, they start to ooze appealingly when warmed.


With lingonberry jam - sweet and slightly tart, flavor reminded me of cranberry cocktail juice:

Cloudberry jam is the more traditional pairing but I couldn't find it so I used lingonberry. But Kenny from Chic Eats says you can probably find it at IKEA (thanks Kenny!)

With warmed honey and toasted walnuts (yum):


With warmed maple syrup (even yummier):


Out of the three sweet toppings, our favorite was the lingonberry jam - the tanginess was a perfect complement to the salty cheese. This trio would make a fun appetizer for company.


I also thought I should try a savory presentation, so I topped one of the pan-fried cubes with roasted peppadew bruschetta topping (from the olive bar at Wegmans but you can substitute your favorite salsa or bruschetta topping). Tasty!


And finally, baked with cream, sugar and cinnamon (a serving suggestion from Wikipedia). I cut the bread cheese into 1/3rd inch slices, layered them in a small casserole dish, drizzled liberally with heavy cream and sprinkled sugar and cinnamon on top. Baked till bubbly (about 15 minutes) at 400 degrees (F).


The easiest dessert ever. And also our favorite way to enjoy bread cheese:

Where to buy:
Outside of Wisconsin, you can probably find bread cheese (aka juusto, juustoleipä, leipäjuusto, fennuusto, brun-uusto, ostbrod, kaffeost) at your local Wegmans.

Or purchase online from the following Wisconsin cheesemakers:

Carr Valley Cheese
Bass Lake Cheese
Pasture Pride Cheese
Seguin's Cheese
Henning's Wisconsin Cheese

References:
Ehlers, Steve, and Jeanette Hurt. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cheeses of the World (Complete Idiot's Guide to). Indianapolis: Alpha, 2008
Weber, Katie. New Speciality "Bread Cheese" Unveiled At The University Of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences website.
"Leipäjuusto." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Jul 2009, 17:00 UTC. 5 Jul 2009 .

Weird Food Wednesdays: Juustoleipä