It is my absolute favorite season. It’s ramp season! Like many, I had no idea what ramps were until a few years ago. Ramps are wild leeks (they taste like a strong cross between onions and garlic and are known for their pungent smell). Ramps grow in rocky soil, and can be harvested in early April until May right here in our own backyards! Very often you will see them on the side of the road starting to pop up in the beginning of Spring. It is important to not over-pick these precious ramps, since it takes 7 years for them to regrow and are fairly rare.   Recently I went ramp foraging at the river access right before the Stone Arch Bridge near Jeffersonville, NY  (no gatekeeping here)! If you check out this location, be sure to wear gloves while picking! There is lots of poison ivy around. If you aren’t much of an outdoorsman, you can buy ramps at your local farmer’s market from now until mid May!

 I’ve been utilizing ramps in every recipe I make, since their season is so short and their taste is so delicious. I made a compound ramp butter, ramp pesto, pickled ramp bulbs, and most recently... this ramp and potato chowder.  Ramps are a great substitution for garlic, onion, or leeks, and if you don’t want a very  strong, pungent flavor, I recommend only utilizing the green leaves and not the bulb.

 Typically when I make this soup, I leave it chunky and brothy, but my husband talked me into blending it smooth, and it did not disappoint. This soup starts with bacon grease, slightly resembling a split pea soup with its green color and slight pork flavor. 

You will need:

6 slices of bacon

4 cups chopped ramps

4 cups diced yellow potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)

3 T all purpose flour

4 C chicken broth

¾ C heavy cream

heavy hand of salt and pepper to taste 

 In a large dutch oven, fry your bacon until crispy. Remove your bacon, but not the grease. 

Add in your ramps and potatoes to the bacon grease in the skillet and sauté on medium low for 3-5 minutes until the ramps are tender. Sprinkle with flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely absorbed. 

Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender and the flavors deepen, about 20 minutes. 

Take off the heat and stir in your heavy cream and be sure to season heavily to taste with salt and pepper. If you’d like a creamy, silky soup blend in a blender or with your immersion blender. 

Please be careful to not over blend, as the potatoes tend to get gummy when overworked. I like to just pulse, still leaving a few chunks. Top with crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped ramp leaves. This is a lovely dish to make, especially with all of this unpredictable weather. 

I hope you get a chance to get outdoors and enjoy what nature has provided!