While you have to briefly blanch stinging nettles before eating them in order to remove their sting, you’re not washing their acid into the blanching water.  Instead you’ve actually disarming it completely.  After the blanch both the nettle leaves and the blanching water are completely safe to consume.  Not only that, but the blanching liquid has …

Ramps (wild leeks) and potatoes are a match made in heaven.  Here’s a quick and easy way to take a humble baked potato and amp it up with one of the best wild flavors Mother Nature has to offer. Ingredients:                                 (Makes 3 Servings) 1/4lb Fresh Ramps, cleaned (How to Clean Ramps) 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter 2 tbsp Heavy Cream 3 …

Here we’re using ramps (wild leeks) in place of both the herbs and the garlic in pesto. It’s gorgeous, it’s got a really strong (delicious!) ramp flavor, but it doesn’t have much bite or spice because the ramps’ zing smoothes into the oil & cheese’s richness. Drink Pairings: Chablis or Bonarda from Argentina Ingredients: 1lb …

While miner’s lettuce and fresh morels are associated with Spring in the Pacific Northwest, in the Northeast they look forward to the arrival of delicious wild ramps or fiddlehead ferns.  If you like the flavor of onions, leeks, and scallions, these are the wild vegetables for you! Smoky, herby, and oniony, grilled ramps bring tremendous flavor to the table and …

Two spring favorites together in the same simple side dish.  Wild produce brings so much flavor to the party you don’t really need much else…just a little butter for richness. Ingredients:        (Makes Four Servings) 3 cups Fresh Morels 1 ½ cups Fresh Ramps 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter Directions: 1. Melt some butter in a frying …

This is a great way to make use of leftover nettle pesto, either after you’ve had it for dinner or thawed from your freezer. Beyond bringing extra nutrition, color and flavor to your breakfast, you can also use it for themed meals (St. Patty’s Day…green eggs & ham…). We served ours with toast spread with …

Nutty, chewy farro (emmer) grain salad loaded with flavor and texture.  The seabeans can be omitted, but they add further complexity to the salad as well as some saltiness and very welcome green color. Farro Salad with Roasted Beets, Sea Beans, Fennel & Chanterelles Ingredients: 1lb Organic Farro Berries (aka Emmer Berries) 1/2lb Fresh Chanterelle …

Thyme Perfumed Grilled Rack of Lamb, Compote of Morel Mushrooms and Vidalia Onions, Grits Cakes, Nettle Purée This dish is an excellent main course to serve at an elegant dinner party in the spring. There are several different components here, all featuring terrific seasonal ingredients. First, stinging nettles are boiled, then cooked with butter, cornmeal, …

Wild ramps have a delicious garlic/leek/onion flavor that is delicious fast-pickled.  With just a few minutes’ work and a 24 hour wait you can have savory-sweet pickled ramps for a tasty snack, sandwich topping, or a garnish that is as visually striking as it is flavorful. You can pickle as many ramps as you can fit in your …

When my wife tells me something is particularly healthy for her (nettles are apparently very healthy for women), you know that I am going to cook it for her … especially when it tastes this good.  She isn’t into cheese, so I subbed the parmigiano reggiano with some lemon and then some extra flor de sal to …