Pickled Ramps

Ingredients

• ●2 bunches ramps (about 40 to 50), cleaned and trimmed
• ●1½ cups white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• ●1 cup water
• ●2 tablespoons sugar
• ●1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ●1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• ●1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ●2 bay leaves
• ●½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

1. Trim the root ends of the ramps and peel any tough outer layers. Keep the bulbs and as much of the stem and leaf as will fit in your jars.
2. Blanch the ramps in boiling water for 15 seconds, then transfer immediately to an ice water bath. This sets the color and takes the raw edge off. Drain well.
3. Pack the ramps tightly into clean pint jars.
4. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.
5. Pour the hot brine over the ramps, leaving ½ inch headspace. Make sure the ramps are fully submerged. Remove any air bubbles by running a chopstick along the inside of the jar.
6. Seal the jars and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.
7. Wait at least 1 week before eating. They're better after 2 weeks and peak at about a month.
8. *Storage:** Refrigerator pickles keep for 2 to 3 months. For shelf-stable canning, process in a water bath for 10 minutes.
9. *Seasonal note:** If you have extra ramp leaves that won't fit in the jars, make ramp butter — blend the leaves with softened butter and a pinch of salt. Roll in parchment, freeze, and slice off coins whenever you need instant flavor on grilled meat, vegetables, or bread.