22.

this will be a post about vegetables. ramps to be exact.

and what is a ramp you ask? it is a wild onion that looks like a scallion, is available for a short period of time during the spring, and supposedly tastes like a combination of onions and garlic.

(nicely cleaned ramps)

i work at an "organic" grocery store twice a week in the produce department, and i don't take advantage of that fact nearly enough, so when we got these babies in the other day i decided to be adventurous and try something new - i had never heard of them either! i bought some ramps, a lemon, a portobello mushroom, some rigatoni and i saved some withering asparagus from the compost bin for my lunch time treat.

i steamed my asparagus pieces and set them aside. then i put on a pot of water. then i discarded the bottom ends of my ramps, chopped them up to the green leaves and proceeded to saute those puppies in olive oil for a minute or two before adding my portobello pieces. sprinkled on some salt + pepper + chili flakes, squeezed on some of the lemon so my mushrooms would get their cook on and then i waited for the magic to take hold. once the mushrooms started to get tender i threw in the asparagus and grated a little lemon zest in there. when the pasta was el dente i threw that in the mix as well. i chopped up some of the ramp greens, grated a little pecorino romanoin on top, gave my lemon another squeeze and tossed that shit around. when everything was well mixed i scooped it into a bowl, grated some more cheese on top, and then proceeded to chow down. it was funking delicious!!!

(pasta in a bowl)

sorry i don't have any photos to post... my camera is broken and i am a) lazy and b) technologically challenged. this crummy photobooth shot will have to suffice. (and yes, pasta and asparagus did fall onto the floor)

for dessert i had some coconut based vanilla ice cream with pomegranate juice tenderly poured over top. yum!

xoxo

tara

ps. if you would like more information/recipes regarding ramps, click here