Pickled Ramps Recipe
- 2 pounds ramps
- 1 cup cider or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 whole cloves
- One 1-quart canning jar, sterilized
- Trim the leaves from the tops of the ramps. (Rather than discard these greens, we suggest one reserve them for future use in omelettes, salads, or any other dish where chopped herbs might do.) Trim and discard the hairy bottoms from the ramps-these are suited only for the compost bin. Rinse the ramps well to remove any grit left behind.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Tip in the ramps and cook until crisp-tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on the size of the ramps. Drain and rinse under a cold running tap to halt the cooking.
- Stir together the remaining ingredients in the jar and add 1 cup water. Stir in the ramps. Screw the lid tightly upon the jar and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 3 months. The longer they stand, the more pickled the results.