This time of year ramps take over restaurant menus everywhere. Whether they’re blitzed into pesto, grilled on a flatbread, or puréed in soup, these garlicky harbingers of spring let us celebrate that cozy cold-weather stews are finally behind us (we hope) and warmer days are ahead. But ramps aren’t the only darlings of the vernal equinox.
Chefs and food lovers alike practically race to farmers’ markets during this season for the fresh vegetables they’ve been deprived of all winter long. We asked our favorite restaurant owners what produce they look forward to the most, that doesn't rhyme with schmamps.
“I'm not sure any vegetable can replace ramps in my heart, but Japanese knotweed might be an option. It's an invasive species that grows wild here in Michigan and you harvest it while it's young and tender in the early spring. I did a wild rice flour dusted walleye, with a Michigan mushroom dashi, and pickled Japanese knotweed at a dinner a couple years ago. It's a very fun wild plant.” —James Rigato, chef, Mabel Gray Kitchen, Hazel Park, MI
“This year I nominate fiddlehead ferns to replace ramps as the ‘It’ ingredient. They're earthy and really versatile. Last year I pickled a whole bunch to preserve them, then deep fried them and served them with lemon aioli. They were kind of like my version of a fancy frickle (fried pickle)."—Greg Baxtrom, chef-owner, Olmsted, Brooklyn
“Celery root is usually a winter item, but its refreshing flavor is exactly what I want this time of year. It’s extremely versatile: I ferment it, cook it in milk, or make it into an herbaceous soda.” —Edouardo Jordan, chef-owner, Salare in Seattle
"I love cooking with purslane, a common but also really delicious weed that can be eaten raw in a salad or as a garnish, or cooked down in a variety of ways. The acidity and brightness are particularly compatible with Mexican flavors.” - Gabriela Cámara, chef-owner, Cala, San Francisco
“In the school of farmers’ market veggies, purple daikon is the gorgeous prom queen who's also the valedictorian of her class (and somehow finds time to do volunteer for local charity groups). She's got everything going for her: seasonal (best in early spring and early fall), delicious in raw form as well as cooked, and a beauty on film with vibrant, electric violet skin and a bright white center. Oh, and it's packed with Vitamin C, so it's good for you, too.” —June Rodil, co-owner, June’s, Austin
“Skip the market and gather armfuls of wild mustard for free. In Michigan it grows everywhere, and you can make a mean pesto with it.” —Molly Mitchell, co-owner, Rose’s Fine Food, Detroit