Pickled Ramp Bulbs

Yeah, yeah. I know ramp season is over but I made these a while ago and they were so good I decided to blog them anyway. When it comes to ramps, it’s really the green leaves that are incredibly perishable so every once in a while, you can find just the bulbs for sale long after you stop finding the leaves. But what to do with them?

Pickle Them!

Purchase Ramp Bulbs here to make your own!

You can use these pickled ramps anywhere you would use pickled onions (on sandwiches, tacos, bean dishes, etc).

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons pink peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • ⅛ teaspoon hot chili flakes
  • 2 bay leafs
  • 1 pound ramp bulbs, cleaned and trimmed
  • Kosher salt for blanching

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Trim the root ends off of the ramps and cut off the leaves, saving the green ends for another purpose (like pesto or risotto). Rinse the ramps well under cool, running water.
• Bring a 2-3 quart pot of water up to boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
• Drop in the ramps and cook for 2-4 minutes, depending on size) They should be tender but not mushy. Remove and shock them in ice water until cool. Drain the ramps well and place them in a the jar you’re going to pickle them in.
• In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and all the spices. Turn off the heat.
• Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the ramps in the mason jar and let cool on the counter (30 minutes or so). Then seal tightly and transfer to the refrigerator. They’ll be ready to eat in a day or two.
• The refrigerated pickled ramps will last a few weeks to a couple of months.

If life gives you ramps, make pickled ramps. These garlicky bulbs preserved in a spice vinegar become a tangy crunchy substitute for pickled onions.