Author Notes
Spring wakes up out mouths as well as our gardens and May provides its own brief season of treats, including ramps. Pickled ramps have become a staple on many spring menus, and recipes abound. The sweet/sour acidity of the pickling process mellows their bite and treated in this manner they are a terrific accompaniment to pâté and roasted meats. I love ramps pickled, but feel their distinctive character is best developed when paired with other ingredients. The sweetness of butter, the smokiness of the trout and the crispiness of the potatoes works here to transform that bite into lush comfort food.
—Christophervermont
Ingredients
-
1 cup
cleaned and chopped ramps (including a bit of the green leaves), that have been sautéed until soft in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
-
4
large russett potatoes
-
2
whole eggs, lightly beaten
-
4 ounces
smoked trout fillet
-
1-2 tablespoons
grapeseed oil
-
1 cup
panko
-
crème frâiche as an accompaniment
Directions
-
Parboil the potatoes until they can be just pierced with a sharp knife. Cool completely and peel.
-
Grate the cooled potatoes into a medium bowl using the large holes of a standing grater.
-
Add the two beaten eggs and mix gently with a fork until combined.
-
Break the smoked trout into smallish pieces and gently mix this into the potato-egg mixture.
-
Form this mixture into 8 larger or 12 smaller cakes and coat with panko.
-
Heat 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and cook the pancakes until they are crispy and golden on both sides.
-
Serve hot with crème frâiche.
See what other Food52ers are saying.