Last year, we planted our first crop of asparagus and were delighted to see the spears shoot up from the earth at the same time the woods filled with ramps—those mild and garlicky wild onions that gave Chicago its name. I just had to pair the asparagus and ramps together in a recipe. Having done a book, Risotto & Beyond (Rizzoli), featuring 100 Italian rice recipes that I tested and wrote about for Chef John Coletta, risotto seemed the perfect transport. Note: For a little added earthiness, you can add a handful of sauteed mushrooms to the mix when you stir in the ramps and asparagus.
Wild Ramp Risotto with Spring Asparagus
May 13, 2022
Category
Rice Entrees
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Ingredients
- FOR THE VEGETABLES:
- 1 bunch fresh ramps, roots discarded, leaves and pink stems chopped to make 2 cups; bulbs chopped separately to make ¼ cup
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus, tough ends discarded, tips and stalks cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- FOR THE RISOTTO:
- 6 cups good quality low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ¼ cup of the chopped ramp bulbs (from above)
- ½ tsp finely ground sea salt, plus more as needed
- ½ tsp finely ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 1 ¼ cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 oz. freshly and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to make ¾ cup
Instructions
- MAKE THE RISOTTO: In a small skillet, lightly sauté the ramp leaves and stems in a teaspoon of olive oil until just tender. Set aside. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pot over medium heat, bring the broth to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. In a heavy-bottomed skillet with 3-inch depth, warm olive oil over low heat. Add the ¼ cup chopped ramp bulbs. Stir, cooking until soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add white wine and stir until wine has completely evaporated. Ladle ½ cup of the hot broth into the rice and stir until the broth has reduced by two thirds. Add another ladleful or broth, stirring again until reduced by two thirds. Repeat this process until most of the broth has been absorbed by the rice, and the rice is tender but not mushy, with a creamy consistency. You may have a little bit of broth left. Remove the risotto from the heat. Cover. Lightly steam the asparagus in microwave with 2 Tbsp water for a scant two minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain water. Add butter and grated parmesan to risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the reserved ramp leaves and stems; stir in the asparagus. Spoon all into a serving dish and drizzle lightly with a bit more extra virgin olive oil. Serve.
© 2025 2017 Copyright
No Comments