Ramps. I know you’ve heard of them. Or maybe you haven’t? They look like green onions but taste more like garlic. And when grilled, they are soft, sweet, and rich. I love them.
The other day I was at Whole Foods, trying to look inconspicuous, spending way too much time lingering in the the fruits and vegetables section so that I could eat three hearty samples of guacamole. While I was pretending to shop, I came across the little wild leeks (ramps). I had never seen them there before, so I took the cue to cook with them that night. I then wandered around the store trying to decide what to serve with my ramps. I came home with pork chops, lots of vegetables, limes, cilantro, and some black beans.
At home I did some brining (the best way to prepare pork chops), basic seasoning, and threw everything on the grill. With the exception of the beans, of course, those were slow cooked and refried. The dinner results were surprisingly awesome. Ramps were not the focus, but they definitely brought everything to a new level.
Brined Grilled Pork Chops
Serves 4
6 cups water
2 1/2 TBS salt
1 TBS agave syrup
4 bone-in pork chops
2 limes – juiced
Heat the water, salt, and agave syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until dissolved (~5 minutes). Let cool. Add all ingredients to a shallow container. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove pork chops from the brine. Let sit for 10 minutes. Grill over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on either side or until cooked through.
Refried Black Beans
Serves 4
1 1/2 cup black beans
9 1/2 cups water
1 TBS kosher salt (scant)
olive oil
1 cup reserved liquid
1/2 yellow onion – chopped
handful cilantro – chopped
1 lime – juiced
pepper
In a medium/large stock pot combine the beans, water, and salt. Bring to a boil; once boiling turn down heat to low and cook for ~1 hour or until beans are soft. Once soft, reserve 1 cup of the liquid, set aside. Drain beans. Heat a medium/large skillet over medium heat, add a few swirls of olive oil. Add beans, onions, and some of the reserved liquid; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cilantro, lime, pepper; gently mash beans with the back of a spoon. Add more reserved liquid when needed. Serve warm.
Grilled Vegetables
Serves 4
handful of ramps -trimmed
handful of grape tomatoes
2 poblano peppers – rough chop
olive oil
s and p
Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in a medium sized grill basket. Grill over a medium-high heat grill for ~15 minutes (turning often), or until tender. Serve with fresh avocado slices.
