Ramp Wild Leek Compound Butter Food

POTATO, BACON, HAM, & RAMP (WILD LEEK) SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Sautee the bacon with the onion until the onion is translucent or almost tender. Add the water, bouillon, potatoes, ham, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
• 2. Add the chopped ramps to to the simmering pot. Thoroughly combine the milk with the flour and add that to the pot too. Cook until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with a small pat of butter placed on the surface of each bowl of soup.
• 3. Note: Regular cultivated leeks, found in most grocery stores, make an excellent substitute for wild leeks in this recipe but trim off and discard the tough part of the green tops if using them.

RAMP / WILD LEEK COMPOUND BUTTER

Steps:

• 1. Trim the root ends from the ramps and clean them well under cold running water.
• 2. Blanch the clean ramps quickly by dropping them for 30 seconds in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the ramps from the boiling water with tongs and shock them in a sink full of ice and water to cool them down quickly so they retain their fresh green color. Drain the ramps, squeezing out as much liquid as you can with your hands.
• 3. With a sharp knife, thinly slice the chilled & drained blanched ramps.
• 4. In a large bowl (or Kitchen Aid mixer with a paddle), mix butter, lemon juice, ramps, salt and pepper.
• 5. Form 1/4 lb. logs of the mixture and wrap tightly in pieces of wax paper, parchment paper or plastic wrap.
• 6. Place wrapped logs of compound butter in a large zip lock bag and freeze.
• 7. Note: This spring, I did not bother to blanch the ramps but rather relied on my food processor to chop them up raw with the addition of lemon zest and juice before adding them to the mixing bowl of softened butter.