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Are ramps the same as wild garlic?

It's called ramps here in America, although Europeans call it wild garlic. Either way, Allium tricoccum is a treasure coveted by all cooks worth their salt come spring. It is so beloved that in Hudson, New York, an entire festival is dedicated to it (this year, the festivities are planned for 2 May).

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It’s called ramps here in America, although Europeans call it wild garlic. Either way, Allium tricoccum is a treasure coveted by all cooks worth their salt come spring. It is so beloved that in Hudson, New York, an entire festival is dedicated to it (this year, the festivities are planned for 2 May). The mustardy, garlicky greens are only available at farmers’ markets for a few weeks every year, so you should get it while you can. Here are a few ways to savour the perfect taste of spring.

Deep fried in batter

Think Italy’s glorious zucchini flowers, only with wild garlic. First, prepare the batter: use two cups buttermilk or whole milk with one cup all-purpose flour. Be generous with your salt and pepper, and fry in either canola or vegetable oil until golden. Serve with lemon wedges, steamed white fish and a nice spring salad on the side. Ramps fried in batter is big in the Appalachia region – and speaking of which, I recommend this lovely essay about ramps’ cultural significance in North Carolina and a family’s history with secret mountain spots brimming with ramps. Read it while you snack.

Pulverised into your salad dressing

Easy and flavoursome. Make your favourite salad dressing, add the ramps, blend and keep in a glass bottle; the dressing will last for three to four days. I like to keep things simple and French: one part olive oil, two parts red wine vinegar, a teaspoon of smooth Dijon mustard, salt and a handful of ramps.

Fold them

Into soups, broths, or even better, breakfast omelettes. Shining examples are Angela Hartnett’s courgette, mint and ramps soup and David Tanis’s simple and straightforward ramp omelette. No need to make it complicated.

Char them

Brown them on the BBQ or straight on the stove to serve as a side. If you’re feeling fancy, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top, or finish off with good olive oil and a dash of lemon juice.

Turn it into a pesto (or an aperitif condiment)

Don’t put the blender away quite yet. For ramps pesto, here’s my tangy recipe: blend four packed cups of ramps leaves with half a cup of grated manchego, half a cup of pine nuts, half a red chilli, and half a cup of olive oil. Season, and spread on toasted baguette with a glass of crisp white wine.

Caramelise the stems

Just like you would caramelise onions; you can use this as a starter to use in pasta dishes. Caramelise the stems until translucid on low heat, waiting for it to brown slightly (you can add a teaspoon of sugar to accelerate the process). Add asparagus and quarter of a cup of water, and steam for a few minutes. Serve on top of the cooked pasta with zested lemon and finish with olive oil, small chunks of mozzarella, black pepper and chilli flakes.