Asparagus & Wild Leeks

I've been trying to break my habit of refering to wild leeks as ramps. Nobody around here calls them that, and I get very blank looks when I say "ramps". Unfortunately, my introduction to them was not from local eating, but through American reading, so I am stuck sounding foreign, at least on this one topic. But whatever you want to call them, they are delicious with asparagus. And yes, I finally got some! I don't know how much longer they will be around though. So eat up!

4 servings
20 minutes prep time


450 grams (1 pound) asparagus
12 to 16 large wild leeks (or more, if you can get them)
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Wash and trim the asparagus, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. On the diagonal is nice. Wash the wild leeks and trim any roots off the white bulbs. Cut off the white bulbs, and cut them in half if they are large. Set them aside by themselves. Roughly chop the remaining stems and green leaves.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the asparagus and the white wild leek bulbs, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 or 4 minutes. Add a couple tablespoons of water if they are starting to brown in spots before they show any signs of getting tender, but don't add to much, and do let them get a bit brown in spots.

Add the soy sauce, and cook a minute or so longer, until it has evaporated or soaked into the vegetables. Add the leek greens and cook for just a minute or two longer, still stirring and tossing constantly, until the greens are limp and soft.

Serve at once.




Last year at this time I made Frog Soup.