This weekend was the first time we’ve visited our local farmer’s market since the beginning of this maddening pandemic. It was absolutely amazing to be reminded of the vibrant local food culture we have here in Columbia and that it is still alive and well after all this craziness. We picked up some beautiful veggies – please see the gorgeous purple asparagus below! We also had the good fortune to catch a booth with some wild-foraged ramps. The first thing we wanted to do with these veggies was keep it simple and throw them on the grill with just some simple seasonings so we could just taste the veggies themselves. This recipe for Grilled Asparagus and Wild Ramps is the product!
A note on ramps! Ramps are a wild allium, related to the leek and the shallot. They are very picky about where and when they grow, and are available for a very short time in the spring in the regions they grown in at all! If you’re not lucky enough to have ramps available to you at the moment, leeks can be substituted.
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 bunches wild ramps (or 2 large leeks)
- 1 lb asparagus
- 2 – 3 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Fire up the grill! Bring it up to medium high heat
- Clean the roots from the end of the ramps (but leave most of the white part!). Chop the tough ends off the asparagus
- Drizzle the ramps (including the leaves!) and asparagus with olive oil, and toss lightly with your hands to coat. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Put the ramps and asparagus out on the grill in a single layer, allowing to char on each side for 1 – 2 minutes (the crispy blackened ramp leaves we got out of our batch were my favorite part)
- Serve immediately with grilled chicken, a light pasta dish, or next to a juicy steak
- That’s it, you’re done, you made the easiest most delicious side dish ever!
