Buttery soft scrambled eggs with fresh spring wild ramps and tangy goat cheese. A simple, yet decadent, breakfast. Only four ingredients, 5 minutes from start to finish.
Be sure to check out my Jammy Eggs for the secret to perfect soft-boiled eggs, every time. If you are looking for an easy egg salad recipe, I have you covered with my Egg Salad with Greek yogurt and Turmeric. It's a fun twist on a summer classic.
Ingredients
- fresh pastured eggs,
- grass-fed butter,
- wild ramps
- goat cheese
Surviving Ramp season at the Union Square Greenmarket is a right of spring passage in NYC. Arrive to the market early, be prepared for crowds, be kind, and patiently wait your turn to snatch up as many bunches as you can comfortably carry home. If you happen to arrive to the market late, be prepared for a fight. The Hunger Games is child's play compared to two New Yorkers fighting over the last bunch of Ramps at the market. Food writer Josh Ozersky captured the ramp phenomenon best, “The church of the Ramp is one of the fastest-growing denominations in the religion of seasonality.”
What is a Ramp?
Ramps are a wild onion that grows in the early spring in eastern North America. They grow under the shade of deciduous trees in rich soil. Ramps taste like a cross between leeks and garlic. Some bunches are more pungent than others, but you can always guarantee a hearty bite. You eat the entire vegetable, including the leafy green top.
What is so Great About a Ramp?
Well, ramps are a bit novelty item. You will never find ramps in a grocery store in the middle of winter. They are the true essence of seasonality, growing wild in the forest and only available for a few short weeks per year. As soon as you tire of Ramp-everything, they are gone, and you have to wait another 12 months to enjoy them again.
Ramps represent something more than just an ingredient. They herald in a new season, a promise of sunshine and abundant locally grown produce. If you've ever spent a winter in New York City you understand the feeling of elation that arrives when you know the cold and snow and days inside are officially over, and rooftop cocktails, late night dining in outdoor cafes, and long leisurely afternoons in the park are here.
Ramps. They. Are. Everything.
How do You Cook Ramps?
How do You Cook Ramps?I treat my ramps as I would scallions or leeks, except I relish in the addition of tender green tops. Slice the white bottom part as you would a scallion and then roll the tender greens into a cigar shape and slice into a chiffonade.
My favorite use of Ramps is in soft scrambled eggs with goat cheese. Simply saute the white part of the ramps in butter (butter + ramps = true love forever), once they are tender (about 2 minutes) add the greens. After another minute or so add your eggs, cook until soft and buttery (see below for tips) and top with goat cheese.
Other recipe ideas for ramps: ramp pesto, mashed cauliflower with wild ramps (think garlic mashed potatoes – YUM! I simply saute the ramps as I mentioned above and then stir them into perfectly mashed cauliflower),
Nutritional Benefit of Ramps
Here is where it gets really exciting (for the nutrition ?) because ramps are one of the first greens to appear in spring they are considered to be an important tonic providing essential vitamins and minerals that have not been available during the winter.
- Ramps are high in iron – providing up to 10% of your RDA. Iron supports healthy immune function and supports energy levels.
- Ramps are cardio-protective – Ramps are a member of the allium family (with garlic and onions) and contain the same sulfur compounds which support the liver in cholesterol elimination.
- Ramps are high in choline – choline is a macronutrient that is beneficial for brain development and cognitive function. So, ya know, ramps make you smarter 😉
- Ramps are high in vitamin C – a powerful antioxidant.
I promise you will love ramps, you will especially love them nestled into perfectly scrambled eggs with tangy goat cheese. It will be my breakfast all week long (or until I run out of ramps).
How to Cook Perfectly Soft Scrambled Eggs
Before we dig into this super simple recipe I thought I would share a few of my tips to create perfectly soft scrambled eggs:
- Start with high-quality eggs. I choose pastured eggs, cage-free, organic, local when possible. This really makes a huge difference in taste (IMHO)
- Also, start with equally good quality butter, I am a huge Kerrygold fan, or any pastured/ grass-fed butter will do.
- Melt the butter over medium heat (I typically use 1-2 tsp per egg)
- Whisk your eggs super well until you can no longer see the separation between yellow and white. There is no need to add any cream, milk, or water to your eggs. They are perfect as is.
- Pour your eggs into the melted butter and over medium-low heat using a spatula gently push the eggs into the center of the pan creating a ribbon-like shape. This should take a few minutes. As soon as the eggs appear to have just a bit longer to go I turn off the heat to not overcook them and continue stirring until finished.
- Julia Childs Tip! At this stage add an additional 1-2 tsp of butter to the pan and allow it to melt over your perfectly soft scrambled eggs.
That is all! Add goat cheese, stir around, and I finished with a sprinkle of ramp leaves. Serve with avocado, or toast, or greens and tomato.
Soft Scrambled Eggs with Wild Ramps and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter (divided)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 wild ramps
- 1 ounce goat cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Slice the white part of the ramps and set aside, roll the leafy green tops into a tight cigar shape and slice into thin ribbons. Set aside.
- Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat melt 1/2 the butter, add white part of ramps to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, add greens and cook, while stirring, for an additional minute. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pour eggs into the saucepan with Ramps and using a spatula gently push the sides of the eggs into the center of the pan creating soft ribbons. Continue until eggs are almost well-formed. Remove from heat and add remaining butter, stirring gently into eggs.
- Add goat cheese and allow to melt over eggs. Season well with salt and pepper
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Start with high-quality eggs. I choose pastured eggs, cage-free, organic, local when possible. This really makes a huge difference in taste (IMHO)
- Also, start with equally good quality butter, I am a huge Kerrygold fan, or any pastured/ grass-fed butter will do.
- Melt the butter over medium heat (I typically use 1-2 tsp per egg)
- Whisk your eggs super well until you can no longer see the separation between yellow and white. There is no need to add any cream, milk, or water to your eggs. They are perfect as is.
- Pour your eggs into the melted butter and over medium-low heat using a spatula gently push the eggs into the center of the pan creating a ribbon-like shape. This should take a few minutes. As soon as the eggs appear to have just a bit longer to go I turn off the heat to not overcook them and continue stirring until finished.
- Julia Childs Tip! At this stage add an additional 1-2 tsp of butter to the pan and allow it to melt over your perfectly soft scrambled eggs.
Nutrition
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