It’s hard to believe that it’s already May and I’m only now posting my first spring recipe! Though I did cook some asparagus in April, it hasn’t really felt like spring yet, and I’ve still been mostly stuck on root vegetables, stews, and roast chicken, using my oven a lot before the weather gets too warm to use it at all. Well, enough of that! This pesto makes use of the springiest of all produce items—ramps. It’s delicious as a sauce for pasta, dolloped on salmon, or mixed in with spring vegetables. What spring things have you been cooking?
Ramp Walnut Pesto
- 1 large bunch ramps (about 5 oz.), cleaned, bulbs and leaves separated
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
- 1/2 cup grated pecorino
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Prepare an ice bath (ice cubes and water) in a large bowl and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the ramp bulbs for 20 seconds, then add the leaves and boil for 10 seconds more. Remove the bulbs and leaves using a slotted spoon and transfer immediately to the ice bath to cool.
- Once the ramps have cooled, squeeze out as much water from them as you can, and transfer the ramps to a blender. Add the walnuts, pecorino, and about 1/3 cup of the olive oil and begin to blend, adding the rest of the olive oil gradually, until well combined but not completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste (about 3/4 tsp of kosher salt worked for me). Serve with pasta, fish, or spring vegetables.
