In Search Of Wild Leeks

I love the month of April in the Hudson Valley. The wooded banks along the Shawangunk Kill start to reveal the sweet sight and taste of ramps, also known as wild leeks.  This is my first chance to get my fingers dirty in the spring soil.

It doesn't take long to gather up a large bunch of these spring delicacies.  This is good because I am trespassing on private land and I don't want to get caught. Although I am sure they would forgive me if I invited them over for dinner and shared the wild leek feast with them.

I briefly sweated the wild leeks in a very hot pan then pureed them with some vegetable stock  I used just enough stock for the consistency to be like a sauce not a soup. I tossed some sauteed mushrooms with the wild leek sauce and some white beans I defrosted from the freezer. ( See January 10th blog entry.)  The mushrooms and beans were coated in the bright green sauce and I spread it on toasted garlic bread. This is why I love April in New York State.