This is a delicious, hyper-seasonal spread that’s super versatile. Double this batch and use leftovers in pasta, scrambled eggs or simply spread on your morning toast. When buying ramps, please only buy from farmers who are selling just the tops. Harvesting ramps with the roots can be an unsustainable practice. If you can’t get a hold of ramps, you could use the green tops of scallions.
Ingredients
- 70 grams ramp leaves
- 70 grams very soft butter
- ½ –1 jalapeño, finely minced
- Finely grated zest of ½ lime
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
Bring a small pot of water to a raging boil. Have a bowl of iced water close by. Drop the ramp leaves into the water for about 30 seconds, until the color turns bright green. Remove and plunge into the ice cold water to stop any further cooking. When fully cool, wring out as much water as possible from the leaves. Transfer the ramps to a spice grinder (since the quantity is so small, a regular blender may not work here), add the jalapeños and process to get as fine a paste as possible. Remove to a small bowl, and stir in the soft butter and lime zest to make an emerald green paste. Season with salt. This can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
