Author Notes
There is one time of year in Indiana where we can potentially experience the perfect culinary storm. I will put it up against French wild boar or truffle season any day. It is when ramps, morels and wild turkey all hit in the same two weeks. April is wild turkey season and it just so happens it coincides, if we are lucky, with ramps and morels. Now that probably only happens once, or twice in a life time but generally you will get two out of three. First off you have to be careful. Turkey hunters do not have to wear hunters orange they wear camo so you can't see them, second a human rustling around in the woods sounds an awful lot like a turkey and third people are protective of their morel and ramp patches. But if you eat seasonally this makes for such a different and exceptionally wonderful turkey dinner and so opposite from Thanksgiving. Asparagus with morels, roast wild turkey and ramp stuffing just to name a few. If you wonder how good ramps are in Tennessee they are called the Tennessee truffle and I just might have to agree. The finale to a great dinner is rhubarb ginger downside-up oatmeal cake or rhubarb pie. Oh!, its a great day to be alive. —thirschfeld
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Ingredients
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6 cups
good white bread, cubed and stale
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2/3 cup
celery, finely diced
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1/3 cup
yellow onion, minced
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12
ramps, rinsed and minced, green and white parts
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1
stick of unsalted butter, melted
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1 tablespoon
chives, minced
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2 teaspoons
summer savory, minced
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2
large eggs
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kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
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2 cups
turkey or chicken stock, preferably home made
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place all the bread cubes, celery, onion and ramps into a large mixing bowl. Pour the butter over the top and mix. Season with a healthy pinch or two of salt and a good amount of fresh ground black pepper. Add the eggs and mix until the bread is coated and you see no egg. Add the herbs, mix and then add the stock a half cup at a time and stir. Keep adding stock until you get the consistency you like. ( If you want the bread to be chewy just moisten it if you want it to be custardy on the bottom with a crusty top make sure the bread is good and soaked but not oversaturated.) Grease a two quart casserole with butter, dump, and then spread the stuffing out evenly. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes or until the it is golden brown and delicious. Serve immediately.
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