I may have mentioned a time or two how much I like ramps.  As it is now high ramp season, much of what I am cooking has a ramp component to it in one way or another. 

Ramps are not a very well known vegetable these days, so imagine my surprise when I was browsing through one of the latest books that a publisher had sent me for review and stumbled across a ramp recipe!  (I’ll link to the book review once I actually finish the review!)   Olives and Oranges: Recipes and Flavor Secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Beyond actually had a recipe for White Bean Soup with Ramps, and it became pretty clear that  I was going to need to give it a try.

As spring can go in Wisconsin, it was inevitable that a cold, damp, dreary day would come along, and as soon as it did, I headed for the kitchen to make this soup.  In the end, it was perfect for the day – warming, filling, and flavorful.  While I veered away from the original recipe that was in the book, the spirit of the recipe remained.  What follows below is my rendition of White Bean Soup with Ramps.
Ingredients:

• 2  tablespoons Olive Oil
• 10 Ramp Bulbs, chopped, with greens saved
• 1 Carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 can cannelloni beans, drained
• More chicken stock, as needed
• Reserved Ramp greens, chopped
• 1 lb bulk Italian sausage, cooked to doneness
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Chives, chopped

In heavy stock pot, slowly sautee ramps, carrot, and celery in olive oil until softened.  Add garlic and sautee 2 minutes further.    Add potatoes and stir ingredients together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock, ensuring that potatoes are covered with liquid.  Bring pot to boil, then reduce and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Add cannelloni beans.  If needed add more stock to cover ingredients in pot.  Allow to simmer 30 more minutes.

With immersion blender, blend all ingredients in pot until smooth and creamy.  If you do not have an immersion blender, use a normal blender or food processor.  If soup is too thick, add more stock to desired consistency.   Add pre-cooked Italian Sausage,  stir.  Add reserved ramp greens and parmesan cheese, stir, and remove from heat.

Serve with chopped chives and grated parmesan cheese garnish.

One excellent way to use up that summer produce is to throw together a nice, light, summery soup that helps you empty out your fridge.

The good thing about this soup is that it is quick, healthy, and extremely flexible. The bad thing about this soup is that though it is quick, it is also very labor intensive due to the chopping of all of the veggies.

I started with some boneless chicken, and sauteed it in a small amount of olive oil. Chopped onion and garlic were added as it cooked. Once softened, I added chicken stock – enough to create the amount of soup that I needed.

Then, it’s simple. Just chop up and toss any vegetables you have on hand into the soup. I believe that I threw in summer squash, patty pan squash, sweet corn cut off the cob, some kale, some green beans, and other odds and ends.

It tastes fresh, it’s healthy, and it uses your summer veggies. What more can you ask for?