Ramp butter ingredients
I have made Ramp Butter in the past, but it has been a little while. Today, I took a trip to the Union Square Greenmarket in the afternoon and managed to pick up a few bunches of ramps as well as some butter from Ronnybrook Farm. My usual M.O. is to whip of batches of the butter and pesto during this vegetable’s short season and save it to use throughout the year. So, I decided to put the first batch of this season’s ramp butter recipe to a great use – in popcorn!*
Ramp butter mixed together
I know, it doesn’t sounds like much of a recipe, but when I made this at the restaurant where I do some kitchen managing and prep work a couple of times a week for networking event held there, it was a big hit. It is a lightly garlic-flavored, kind of herby popcorn with a nice pop of salt. (Someone mistakenly sent us 50 pounds of popcorn, instead of the 5 we actually ordered, so I’ve been experimenting with different popcorn recipes to try to use up the whole tub of it that we have in our walk-in refrigerator.)
Popcorn with ramp butter
It was by far the most popular of the plates of nibbles that I put out that evening. I made several trips back and forth to refill the bowls, so it must have a been a huge hit. I guess it also went well with the drinks they were serving, as I saw folks pulling the bowls of it a little closer to them during the evening.
Ramp Butter Popcorn
Serving Size: As much popcorn as you want to eat
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
One recipe Ramp Butter
Popcorn kernels
Canola Oil
Assembly:
Popcorn (plain)
Make Ramp Butter. Pop popcorn. My favorite method, and one I use in the restaurant, is to put a thin film of canola oil on the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in a single layer of popcorn, cover the pan with a lid (or foil), turn on the heat, and let nature and the properties of heat + steam do their work. You can also make the air-popped version or whatever kind you’d like.
Popcorn with ramp butter
Sprinkle a few pinches of salt over the popcorn. Melt the ramp butter (just the amount that you need to dress the popcorn, save the rest for a later use). Drizzle the butter over the popcorn and toss together to coat each kernel evenly. Taste. Add more salt and more butter to suit your tastebuds. Enjoy!
Buon appetito!
*Kitchen Witch Tip:
Ramp butter ready for the freezer
The unused portion of this batch of ramp butter is in the all wrapped up and in freezer for another day. It keeps for quite a while, if double-wrapped in plastic wrap. When those cold winter winds are blowing, a slab of this butter mixed into pasta sauce or added to scrambled eggs gives a nice lift to a meal and reminds us that warmer weather and days full of sunshine are just around the corner!
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