- Ramp
- Spring
Preserve the seasonal flavor of ramps for use all year long.
Trending Videos
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2016__04__ramps-shutterstock_274311971-87a94b71786e4b9b8d7dfc34728c1294.jpg "Ramp Compound Butter Recipe (1)")
Why It Works
- Ramp compound butter freezes extremely well, making it easy to slice off a round or two as needed.
- Once frozen it can keep through fall.
Ramps are highly sought after alliums with a sweet and complex flavor and a very small season. Once you actually try them, you'll understand what all the fuss is about: Ramps have a sweet and complex flavor—one that's fresher and less harsh than that of scallions or leeks—that can be craveable.
To preserve those essential qualities, it's best to keep it simple when preparing ramps. Sautéing them in butter brings out even more depth of flavor; once you've done that, you don't need many other ingredients. Because ramps are so closely identified with this time of year, some of our recipes pair them with other springy vegetables, like asparagus in a bright green soup, or snap peas and English peas in a salad bursting with seasonal freshness. Others just use them to add a dash of oniony flavor to everyday items like drop biscuits or quesadillas.
Ramps are only in season for about a month or two, but there are a few ways to preserve them so you can enjoy their flavor all year long.My favorite long-term preservation technique is making ramp compound butter and storing it in the freezer. The ramps, locked inside the confines of the frozen butter like Han Solo in carbonite, are essentially stored indefinitely, capturing the "rampy" essence of early spring at any time of year.
The most common compound butter is beurre maître d'hôtel, or hotel butter, composed of shallots, garlic, fines herbes, lemon zest, salt, and pepper; the recipe that follows is a variation on this theme. Generally used for broiled or grilled meats or fish, hotel butter functions as a sort of flavor-inducing sauce. You may find a slice of it sitting, slowly melting, on top of a steak in your steak frites.
Ramp compound butter is great in a pinch, as you can easily pull a log out of the freezer and cut off a slice or two. It's especially good on pasta, in a risotto, or—my preference—tucked underneath the breast skin of a chicken. If you can keep it until fall, it works great under the skin of a Thanksgiving turkey. Don't delay—ramp season is short. Study up on your local farmers market schedule, show up early to beat the crowd.
May 2008
Recipe Details
Ramp Compound Butter
Prep30 mins
Cook20 mins
Total50 mins
Serves80to 84 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 pound ramps, trimmed and cleaned
4 pounds unsalted butter, cut up and at room temperature
2 lemons, zested and juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Thyme (optional)
Directions
Trim the ends off of the ramps and clean them well under cold, running water.
Blanch them quickly (30 seconds) by dropping the ramps in a large pot of salted, boiling water, and then shock them in ice water.
Drain the ramps, squeezing as much liquid out as you can. With a sharp knife, thinly slice the ramps.
In a large bowl (or Kitchenaid with a paddle), mix well butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, ramps, salt, and pepper.
On sheets of parchment, form logs of butter of approximately 1/2 pound each, and roll the parchment tightly around the butter.
Put the butter logs in two sets of freezer bags and seal tightly, removing all the air, and store in the freezer.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__rampsbeforeandafter-0fcb61da1a2a4239bc6b653809298400.jpg "Ramp Compound Butter Recipe (2)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__rampmise-996cef06259e496fb06d4bd089916d79.jpg "Ramp Compound Butter Recipe (3)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__rampsprerolled-e05e078e797b49c1a604da9b7f251336.jpg "Ramp Compound Butter Recipe (4)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__rollingramps-1e7f69b2ee7c401f8e7ebe1739732c9b.jpg "Ramp Compound Butter Recipe (5)")
Special Equipment
Parchment Paper (or wax paper), freezer bags
Notes
As an alternative to using parchment, you can use all the leftover butter wrappers to make small logs. Plastic wrap or wax paper can be used as as well.
Read More
- Extry-Rampy Ramp Risotto
- Ramp and Chorizo Quesadilla
- Quick Pickled Ramps
- Spring Salad of Asparagus, Ramps, Snap Peas, and Peas
- Grilled Ramps
- Asparagus and Ramp Soup with Yogurt
- Ramp Gravy
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 158 | Calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 1g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 80to 84 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 158 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 18g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium 45mg | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate 1g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 0g | |
| Vitamin C 3mg | 14% |
| Calcium 12mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 31mg | 1% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
