Ramp Confit, by Genevieve Reiner (aka Ham Sandwich Indicted)

RAMPING IT UP: Spotted this post on Genevieve Reiner's blog, Ham Sandwich Indicted and decided to share her creative way of preserving ramps...

PHOTO: Genevieve Reiner

Ramp season is rapidly fading, so last weekend I stocked up on a bunch while I had the chance.  Since I still had some pickled from last year, I decided to try something a little different.  Inspired by the almighty internet, I tried my hand at making a ramp confit. 

To confit something is to cook an ingredient in fat, then store it in that same fat. Most typically, meats are confited--duck or goose confit is fairly common, and while it sounds fancy, it's essentially duck pieces slowly cooked in rendered duck fat then submerged and stored in the cooking fat.  It is an ancient means of preservation, as the fat keeps out air and bacteria, and was used (back in the day) to store food without refrigeration.  Vegetables can also be preserved via confit, and there are recipes out there using mushrooms, onions and garlic.  With ramps being part of the same family as onions and garlic, it made sense to give it a go and try to hang on to ramp season a little while longer. 

I haven't cracked them open yet, but I'd imagine that after a week in their olive oil bath, the ramps will be delicious spread on a crusty piece of bread or served with a piece of grilled meat.

Confit de Ramps

1/2 to 1 lb of ramps, cleaned, roots removed and bulbs removed from the green leaves (save the leaves for another use...chopped up and folded into butter is a good one)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, combine the ramp bulbs and a pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper.   Cover the ramps with olive oil and place on on a burner at it's lowest possible setting.  Allow the ramps to barely simmer until they're soft, about 20 minutes.  Strain the ramps out into a glass jar and then top with the cooking oil.  Seal and keep in the refigerator until ready to eat.  They should keep for a couple of weeks at least.  Save the rest of the ramp infused oil to use in a vinaigrette, fry eggs, or as a dipping sauce for breads.  It would also be delicious drizzled over roasted veggies or as a finish on a pizza...

Pommes Duchesse, by Camille Malmquist

Pommes duchesse is not something you’ll find on the menu at many Paris restaurants anymore. That is a shame, because while this dish of puréed potato mixed with egg, then piped and baked to a golden crisp, may seem old fashioned, it is a delight.

Fortunately, it is not at all difficult to make at home. It’s versatile, too. Tiny kisses, piped with a star tip for a fancy touch, would make a great passed hors d’oeuvre at a cocktail party. Little puffs, simply spooned onto a baking sheet, are a fun alternative to french fries. Or you could go all out and pipe whimsical, decorative borders on dinner plates—it’s garnish and side dish all in one.

This is a classic pommes duchesse recipe, but the possibilities for flavor variations are multitudinous. Stir in some chopped fresh herbs or grated cheese. Add carrots, turnips, celeriac or other root vegetables to the mix (just keep it to about a quarter of the total amount). Sharp mustard or chili peppers would be good additions, too. It may not be exactly what they served in Paris restaurants of yore, but it will be yours.

pommes duchesse

Serves 4–6 as a side, more as an hors d’oeuvre.

2 pounds 10 ounces (1,200 grams) starchy potatoes, such as russet or bintje
3–4 cloves garlic, peeled
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks or 150 grams) unsalted butter
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into rough 1-inch (2-centimeter) pieces. Bring to a boil in a pot of well-salted water with the garlic cloves. Simmer until everything is very tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 420 degrees F (215 degrees C).

2. Drain the potatoes and garlic and return to the pot over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. The goal is to help the water evaporate and dry out the potatoes a bit before mashing them.

3. Add the butter to the pot and mash it with the potatoes to form a smooth purée. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Allow it to cool a bit (you still want it warm, just not hot enough to scramble the eggs), then stir in the eggs.

4. Scoop or pipe the mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheets or ovenproof plates. Bake until golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Serve hot.

Camille Malmquist is an American pastry chef living and working in Paris. In her spare time, she cooks and bakes at home (believe it or not), as well as tackles the difficult task of trying out as many restaurants and bakeries as possible, then she blogs about her food and travel adventures at Croque-Camille.