Last night, a friend posted a gorgeous picture of her spring radishes on Facebook and it started me thinking about wild ramp season! In fact, I'm so obsessed with wild ramps that I had dreams about them all night and I woke up starving! It's still early in March, and more snow is probably heading our way, but my half full cup knows that it's almost Spring and what I'm dreaming about is a lovely walk through the woods with my grandson and my gathering basket, being seduced by the enticing flavor of the wild ramps that can can be found in early March through mid April!
Wild ramps are a seasonal vegetable, that used to be found from late March to mid May depending upon where you live, but the last few years have found the effects of climate change beginning to change their growing season. If you've never tasted a wild ramp, trust me, you'll love them. The flavor is of a wild garlicky leek and like all edible members of the Allium family they have an immediate and pronounced tonic effect on our circulatory and immune systems. I love to use them in soups and stews, and have even been know to eat one or two of them raw with fresh sweet butter and bit of Maldon salt. I love to add one or two of them to my juicer along with carrots, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and cucumber for my morning juice and this very same juice has been known to double as a perfect base for a Bloody Mary! I cook and puree them with asparagus, wild mushrooms and coconut cream for a wonderful spring soup and I love to stuff them under the skin of a roasting chicken or toss them in the stock pot when I'm making bone broth!
Every year I love to indulge in the vibrant flavors of spring with this nourishing Spring Tonic Soup, brimming with seasonal goodness and a wealth of health benefits. Crafted from an array of fresh ingredients like wild ramps, stinging nettle, and asparagus, this soup is a celebration of nature's bounty, carefully selected to revitalize and invigorate the body after a long gray Cleveland winter!
At the heart of this soup lies the humble yet potent stinging nettle, revered for its remarkable properties. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, stinging nettle has long been cherished for its ability to support overall health and well-being. Rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin C, it is thought to boost immunity, strengthen our bones, and promote healthy skin, making it a quintessential addition to any springtime dish. Always be very careful though when harvesting the stinging nettle. Be sure to use gloves and to get it ready for cooking, plunge the fresh leaves into a pot of boiling water for about a minute. This will deactivate the sting and make it ready for any use!
Complementing the earthy flavor of stinging nettle are the delicate wild ramps, prized for their unique taste and therapeutic benefits. In the next month, you’ll be able to find them at our local farmers markets. Bursting with flavor and nutrients, wild ramps are a good source of vitamins A and C, essential for maintaining healthy vision and boosting the immune system. They also contain valuable antioxidants that are thought to help combat inflammation and protect against chronic diseases, making them a valuable addition to this rejuvenating soup.
The addition of fresh asparagus lends a subtle sweetness and vibrant color to the soup, while also providing a host of health benefits. Asparagus is rich in folate, a B vitamin that supports heart health and helps regulate mood. It's also high in fiber, which aids digestion and promotes gut health, making it an ideal ingredient for this cleansing and detoxifying soup.
Together, these springtime treasures come together to create a soup that not only delights the taste buds but also nourishes the body from the inside out. With each spoonful, you'll be treated to a symphony of flavors and nutrients, helping you feel revitalized and refreshed as you embrace the beauty of the season.
Wild Ramp, Nettle & Asparagus Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of wild ramps, cleaned and chopped (both bulbs and leaves)
- 2 cups of fresh stinging nettle leaves, washed and chopped (use gloves to handle)
- 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 cups of chicken broth
-1 can of coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon of torn fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: lemon wedges for serving
-Optional: Shredded Parmesan, toasted sesame seeds, sautéed mushrooms, microgreens, fresh basil and parsley for a garnish
Instructions:
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the chopped wild ramps (both bulbs and leaves) to the pot and sauté for another 3-4 minutes until wilted.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
5. Once the broth is simmering, add the chopped stinging nettle leaves and asparagus pieces to the pot. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the asparagus is tender but still slightly crisp. Add the coconut cream.
6. Stir in the fresh thyme and basil leaves, and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the soup into a Vitamix or other blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, no more.
8. Ladle the Spring Tonic Soup into bowls and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.Garnish with fresh herbs, microgreens, mushrooms and Parmesan.
Enjoy this nourishing and revitalizing soup as a delightful springtime meal or starter with a toasted baguette and a lovely glass of white wine! You can also add some fresh burrata cheese into the soup bowl for a lovely, creamy addition.
A Few Rules for Harvesting Wild Ramps and other Wild Foods
If you're out in the woods you'll know that you've found a patch of ramps when your nose picks up a spicy garlicky aroma, amid the yummy fresh greens and sweet dirt smells of spring. They are beautiful plants with fleshy, vibrant green leaves and purple shoots that lead into a lovely familiar looking white bulb. When you're harvesting them just take a few of the shoots and leave the rest, trust me, a few is all you will need because the flavour is intense! If you don't have time to go find your own, the good news is that wild ramps will have been harvested for you by many of the wonderful Eastern farmers who have booths at the outdoor markets that begin in the Spring. That being said, it's a wonderful thing to happen upon a patch of wild ramps and a terrific excuse for a walk on the early spring forests but it's always important to remember to harvest any wild plant appropriately- here are a few tips!
Always make sure that you know what you are harvesting. Get a really good guide book, and if possible go with someone who knows how to distinguish between similar looking plants. I have found that farmers are usually a great source of information, but please leave wild mushroom harvesting to the pros!
Take a smaller amount than what you think you need and if possible gather from several different spots.
Always make sure that you have permission to gather on the land that you're foraging.
When you gather wild foods, make sure that you leave dirt on the roots, and keep a moist towel with you to wrap them in. I like to use cloth dishtowels, because I think that paper towels are too absorbent for the delicate roots.
Use a small hand cultivator to harvest your wild plants, and when you are choosing which plants to take, (as goofy as this may sound!) simply ask them! It's my experience that plants that are ready to be picked simply slide out of the earth more easily. If you get some real resistance, move on to the next one, and please don't pull on them so hard that they are damaged! There will always be one or two that will be happy to go home with you! A gentle tug is all that they need and then a light twist of your cultivator to help release them.
Walk gently on the earth wherever you are and when you gather wild things please consider leaving something in return. The tradition of giving back to the earth is a very old one used by the Native Americans who were the first to forage this land. I've always got something in my pocket (corn, hay, a little bit of compost) to leave as a thank you when I take any plants from the wild. I know it sounds silly, but for me it completes the circle of harvest and life!