It's Spring Time ! -- Morels, Fiddleheads & Wild Leeks (Ramps)
It’s SPRINGTIME!!!!!!!!!! Well, alright, so we may still be in for some snow here and there, seeing as the Cottage Kitchen is located in the Upper Midwest, where things like that are apt to happen.
But realistically, the worst is way behind us. It was a cold, cold winter. Utility bills were steep, the wind was like a razor blade, and when we went outdoors to shovel away the snow, it actually hurt to breathe.
Enough whining. The ground is thawing, the last patches of snow have melted away, and the culinary world is gearing up for yet another Wild Harvest. If you’re one of the many people throughout the country who look forward to Earthy Delights’ annual gourmet event, then you’ll be happy to know that we’re already taking advance orders for morel mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, and wild ramps. Call their toll free number at 800-367-4709 and take advantage of this opportunity to make sure you get what you want when the prime time hits.
And just what is the prime time? Well, we’ll get to that. Right now, it’s important to provide information to the uninitiated, but potentially interested “foodies” who think they might like to dabble in some of the most elusive, mysterious, delicious, but simple to prepare wild foods on the planet. The Wild Harvest consists of three basic food groups, and here’s the low down on all of them:
Wild Ramps
Wild ramps are also known as wild onions, or wild leeks. They’re tough little buggers, and grow just fine all on their own throughout much of the nation. In Michigan, they’re already coming up by mid-March. They have an onion-y flavor with a wild, pungent edge. They’ve been so popular for so long in the Appalachian Mountains, that there are actually festivals and cook-offs dedicated to this flavorful little scamp. Lately though, gourmet chefs across the world have taken a keen interest in their maverick flavor, and have started adding them to soups, stews, and sauces. They’re great when diced and tossed with a salad – sort of like an onion with some garlic-y flavor added. A few of them diced and added to scrambled eggs will give them an excellent flavor, and are a huge improvement over the green peppers that some people seem to be unreasonably fixated on. An interesting note about ramps is that the City of Chicago was named after them. The word “Chicago” is actually a native term meaning “smelly little onion.”
Whatever you call them, ramps are delicious. They look a lot like scallions, but their flavor is much more “energetic.” The best way to use them is with imagination. Making some soup? Throw in a handful, diced. Sauté a few and add them to potatoes, risotto, or your veggie stir fry. As regular readers will know, I love them laid across a piece of good bread with some cream cheese and ham. Keep some mints handy.
Though I like to “wing it” in the kitchen, there are some of you who might like to have some more specific direction. This is an excellent recipe for Tomato Soup with Ramps. It’s not difficult, and it’s exceptionally good.
Fiddlehead Ferns
This is just a wonderful, versatile, and very healthful food to try if you haven’t already. Fiddleheads derive only from Ostrich ferns, and must be picked while they’re still very young and very fresh. The main season for fiddleheads is in April, with some overlap into both March and May, depending on Mother Nature. If they’ve opened up already, and “fronds” are showing, then they’re too old to be good.
But when they’re fresh and young, they’re exquisite. Their flavor is not at all subtle, so the best way to serve them is with a starch that isn’t strongly flavored and an entrée with some spice. They’ve been compared to a cross between asparagus and artichokes and green beans, but if a flavor could have a color, then the color associated with fiddleheads would be “green.” When cooked properly, they’re not mushy. They should have some “tooth” when you bite them. My very favorite way of cooking them is with some garlic, some butter, and some good quality morel mushrooms. Try this:Sautéed Fiddleheads with Morel Mushrooms
Morel Mushrooms
This is the Springtime Queen of the Forest. Early morels will start to come in around April, and some will linger into June, but their main month is always May. Morels are legendary for their elusive, tough-to-describe “woodsy” flavor, and the excellent way they blend with other foods. There are a few things to remember about morel mushrooms if you want to try them.
• If you’re mushroom hunting yourself, be very careful that you know what you’re doing. There’s a poisonous morel “look alike” that can cause serious trouble. Take an expert with you.
• Don’t eat morels unless they’ve been fully cooked. They can cause terrible indigestion.
• Their flavor dissipates quickly if they’re soaked for too long in water. When you clean them, make it quick. If you soak them for any reason, hang onto that delicious water. It’s great for cooking soups, stews, and gravies.
My motto, in general, is that when it comes to morel mushrooms, the simpler the better. I like to clean them, trim them, and toss them in the skillet with butter and maybe a little garlic. Salt and pepper them, of course, then serve them with buttered toast, hot coffee, and bacon.
That having been said, there are a wide variety of very elegant and even romantic ways to serve morel mushrooms that are beyond delicious. Some of them go best with a log fire, candlelight, and a very fine Tuscan wine. Try this: Roast Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Ragout
But realistically, the worst is way behind us. It was a cold, cold winter. Utility bills were steep, the wind was like a razor blade, and when we went outdoors to shovel away the snow, it actually hurt to breathe.
Enough whining. The ground is thawing, the last patches of snow have melted away, and the culinary world is gearing up for yet another Wild Harvest. If you’re one of the many people throughout the country who look forward to Earthy Delights’ annual gourmet event, then you’ll be happy to know that we’re already taking advance orders for morel mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, and wild ramps. Call their toll free number at 800-367-4709 and take advantage of this opportunity to make sure you get what you want when the prime time hits.
And just what is the prime time? Well, we’ll get to that. Right now, it’s important to provide information to the uninitiated, but potentially interested “foodies” who think they might like to dabble in some of the most elusive, mysterious, delicious, but simple to prepare wild foods on the planet. The Wild Harvest consists of three basic food groups, and here’s the low down on all of them:
Wild Ramps
Wild ramps are also known as wild onions, or wild leeks. They’re tough little buggers, and grow just fine all on their own throughout much of the nation. In Michigan, they’re already coming up by mid-March. They have an onion-y flavor with a wild, pungent edge. They’ve been so popular for so long in the Appalachian Mountains, that there are actually festivals and cook-offs dedicated to this flavorful little scamp. Lately though, gourmet chefs across the world have taken a keen interest in their maverick flavor, and have started adding them to soups, stews, and sauces. They’re great when diced and tossed with a salad – sort of like an onion with some garlic-y flavor added. A few of them diced and added to scrambled eggs will give them an excellent flavor, and are a huge improvement over the green peppers that some people seem to be unreasonably fixated on. An interesting note about ramps is that the City of Chicago was named after them. The word “Chicago” is actually a native term meaning “smelly little onion.”
Whatever you call them, ramps are delicious. They look a lot like scallions, but their flavor is much more “energetic.” The best way to use them is with imagination. Making some soup? Throw in a handful, diced. Sauté a few and add them to potatoes, risotto, or your veggie stir fry. As regular readers will know, I love them laid across a piece of good bread with some cream cheese and ham. Keep some mints handy.
Though I like to “wing it” in the kitchen, there are some of you who might like to have some more specific direction. This is an excellent recipe for Tomato Soup with Ramps. It’s not difficult, and it’s exceptionally good.
Fiddlehead Ferns
This is just a wonderful, versatile, and very healthful food to try if you haven’t already. Fiddleheads derive only from Ostrich ferns, and must be picked while they’re still very young and very fresh. The main season for fiddleheads is in April, with some overlap into both March and May, depending on Mother Nature. If they’ve opened up already, and “fronds” are showing, then they’re too old to be good.
But when they’re fresh and young, they’re exquisite. Their flavor is not at all subtle, so the best way to serve them is with a starch that isn’t strongly flavored and an entrée with some spice. They’ve been compared to a cross between asparagus and artichokes and green beans, but if a flavor could have a color, then the color associated with fiddleheads would be “green.” When cooked properly, they’re not mushy. They should have some “tooth” when you bite them. My very favorite way of cooking them is with some garlic, some butter, and some good quality morel mushrooms. Try this:Sautéed Fiddleheads with Morel Mushrooms
Morel Mushrooms
This is the Springtime Queen of the Forest. Early morels will start to come in around April, and some will linger into June, but their main month is always May. Morels are legendary for their elusive, tough-to-describe “woodsy” flavor, and the excellent way they blend with other foods. There are a few things to remember about morel mushrooms if you want to try them.
• If you’re mushroom hunting yourself, be very careful that you know what you’re doing. There’s a poisonous morel “look alike” that can cause serious trouble. Take an expert with you.
• Don’t eat morels unless they’ve been fully cooked. They can cause terrible indigestion.
• Their flavor dissipates quickly if they’re soaked for too long in water. When you clean them, make it quick. If you soak them for any reason, hang onto that delicious water. It’s great for cooking soups, stews, and gravies.
My motto, in general, is that when it comes to morel mushrooms, the simpler the better. I like to clean them, trim them, and toss them in the skillet with butter and maybe a little garlic. Salt and pepper them, of course, then serve them with buttered toast, hot coffee, and bacon.
That having been said, there are a wide variety of very elegant and even romantic ways to serve morel mushrooms that are beyond delicious. Some of them go best with a log fire, candlelight, and a very fine Tuscan wine. Try this: Roast Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Ragout
posted by JTH at 12:00 PM
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