Mushroom risotto with ramps. The ramps were priced as the caviar of seasonal produce at $5 for a small bundle, and I bought two of them anyway. I will pay for the symbolic arrival of spring. I started by heating the diced stems in butter, essentially as a garlic substitute, then cooked the risotto, adding sautéed shiitake mushrooms halfway through, with a heaping of thyme to balance out the garlicky aftertaste of the ramps. I used quite a lot of butter for the risotto and it ended up sliding on the tongue.
(Photo: Potomac shore, Arlington, Virginia.)
365 Days of Food 