​Each spring, otherwise reasonable home cooks lose all inhibitions at the first sight of ramps at the farmers market. Their season is brief, their flavor is punchy, and their reputation precedes them. If you know, you know—and if you don’t, you’re about to.. What are ramps?. Ramps, also called wild leeks or Allium tricoccum, are a type of wild allium (in the same family as chives, garlic, leeks, scallions, and shallots) that grows in eastern North America. They look a bit like scallions, with small white bulbs and stringy roots, but their broad, tender green leaves set them apart. The plant’s name is derived from colloquial American English—in Southern Appalachia, it’s the word for “spring onion” or “wild leek.”. They’re beloved for their distinctive flavor. Raw, they’re sharp and assertive; cooked, they mellow into something sweeter and more rounded. Best of all, the entire plant is edible, from the bulb to the leaves. They’re only available for a few weeks each spring, which makes them one of the most sought-after seasonal vegetables.. What do ramps taste like?. Ramps have a bold, garlicky flavor with oniony sweetness. The bulbs are more pungent, while the leaves are slightly milder and more delicate. Raw ramps have a sharp bite with an almost spicy, earthy flavor. When cooked, those flavors turn soft, sweet, and deeply savory. Imagine the earthiness of a melted leek paired with the robust sweetness of cooked garlic with a little extra “what is that flavor?” oomph thrown in for good measure.. Why are people so obsessed with ramps?. Ramps aren’t just an ingredient—they’re a seasonal event, only available for a short window in early spring (typically April through early June). Their blink-and-you’ll-miss-it season, combined with their intensely savory flavor, is what sends some cooks into a frenzy every spring.. Where do ramps grow—and why are they hard to find?. Ramps grow wild in wooded areas along the Appalachian mountain range, from Quebec down through Georgia. Unlike cultivated onions or garlic, they’re not widely farmed and take years to mature.. That slow growth, combined with high demand, has led to concerns about overharvesting. If you’re buying ramps, look for vendors who source them responsibly—or harvest only the leaves if you’re foraging yourself.. How to shop for ramps. Their exclusivity means that ramps can be costly, especially compared to their humble cousins. Thanks to their short season and labor-intensive harvesting, a bunch may go for $20 per pound.. You’re unlikely to find ramps at a typical grocery store. Instead, check your local farmers markets or specialty grocers during peak season.  

​Spring is here to nudge you back outside and straight to the farmers market. There are bundles of taut chives still topped with blossoms, sweet and tender spears of asparagus, and creamy new potatoes all waiting to be snapped up. Here, we’ve gathered 10 new recipes that celebrate this transitional, transformational season overflowing with newly sprouted veggies.. To gently ease into the longer, brighter days ahead, try our dill-flecked, lighter-and-brighter take on chicken and biscuits. Embrace the joy of eating outside again with a porchside dinner featuring salmon coated with a glossy Dijon mustard and maple syrup glaze. There’s an embarrassment of produce-packed riches.. Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. & Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne. To usher in the earliest days of spring, dig into a dish of this zippy mac and cheese spin-off. Leeks are sturdy enough to survive winter frosts, sprouting with a gradation of green colors and a mellow flavor all their own. Here, they’re slant-sliced into planks and baked with oversized noodles, all draped in a sharp cheddar sauce with a mustardy kick. Conchiglioni, a larger shell pasta, manages to nail the best of both texture worlds, staying tender when submerged and catching color and crispiness at the surface. Often stuffed with meat or cheese, they can hold plenty of sauce and even a hefty leek. Make sure to separate any stuck-together noodles before baking—they love to snuggle like nesting dolls. —Rebecca Firkser. Make the Recipe. Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. & Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne  

​To usher in the earliest days of spring, dig into a dish of this zippy mac and cheese spin-off. Leeks are sturdy enough to survive winter frosts, sprouting with a gradation of green colors and a mellow flavor all their own. Here, they’re slant-sliced into planks and baked with oversized noodles, all draped in a sharp cheddar sauce with a mustardy kick. Conchiglioni, a larger shell pasta, manages to nail the best of both texture worlds, staying tender when submerged and catching color and crispiness at the surface. Often stuffed with meat or cheese, they can hold plenty of sauce and even a hefty leek. Make sure to separate any stuck-together noodles before baking—they love to snuggle like nesting dolls.. Test Kitchen Tip: Look for leeks about 1½” in diameter, as opposed to thicker stalks. Leeks grow in sandy soil and can be challenging to clean, especially when large. Remove the loose outer layers, then rinse well. Trim off roots and deep green tops and place in a bowl of cold water. Let soak, encouraging sand and soil to sink, before removing.  

​Step 1. Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 425°. Combine ½ tsp. saffron (15–20 threads) and 1 Tbsp. warm water in a large bowl; set aside.. Step 2. Meanwhile, place about ½ cup thinly sliced medium onion in a medium bowl of ice water and set aside to soak. Finely chop 1¼ cups (lightly packed) mixed tender herb leaves with tender stems (such as parsley, dill, cilantro, and/or mint) and set aside.. Step 3. Heat 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Add 2 tsp. ground coriander, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 2 tsp. vegetable or chicken bouillon paste, ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt, and remaining onions and cook, stirring often, until onions are deep brown and crisp in spots, 13–17 minutes.. Step 4. Add one 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed, to pan; increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisped, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in ½ cup dried tart cherries or unsweetened dried cranberries and reserved chopped herbs. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.. Step 5. Cook 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed, in a medium saucepan of boiling generously salted water until just al dente, about 5 minutes, then drain.. Step 6. Add 2 large egg yolks, ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt to reserved bowl with saffron; whisk until smooth. Fold in rice.. Step 7. Pour 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into an 8×8″ glass baking dish and spread around to coat bottom and sides. Add 2 cups rice mixture and press with a flat-bottomed measuring cup or a spatula to compress. Mound onion mixture over, leaving a ½” border on all sides, and flatten slightly. Spoon remaining rice mixture on top and lightly press down to compress. Cover baking dish with foil.. Step 8. Bake tachin until bottom and sides are deep golden, 55–65 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then remove foil and run a paring knife around sides to loosen. Place a platter or large plate upside down over baking dish and hold together as you quickly turn over; remove baking dish.. Step 9. Whisk remaining ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl (it should be thin enough to drizzle; add more water if needed). Season with salt and pepper.. Step 10. Drain reserved onion. Toss onion, a pinch of kosher salt, remaining 1¼ cups (lightly packed) mixed tender herb leaves with tender stems, and remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in same bowl to combine. Mound salad on top of tachin; serve with yogurt sauce.  

​With a spicy-sweet broth, fat pieces of white fish, and coins of petite potatoes, this feel-good bowl will satisfy from last snow to first bloom. While babysitting a bubbling pot is welcome in the depths of winter, this one comes together swiftly. To keep cooking time low, it starts with punchy aromatics (cilantro stems, white onion, cumin seeds, and jalapeños) heated through in a mix of butter and oil to unleash their flavor. The fragrant base quickly perks up store-bought broth. To finish, drop fish into the aromatic hot soup to gently poach as you chop some fresh garnishes for scattering on top.. Test Kitchen Tip: Jalapeños can be decently spicy or quite mild depending on their growing conditions, so taste a bit from the end before chopping. If the flesh is warm for your palate, use only half of the ribs and seeds (which are even spicier), or omit them entirely. If it’s mild, add up to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes to the soup as well.