Last time I went on at some length about the virtues of ramps, a wild relative of onions, garlic, and leeks. Since introductions were covered back then, it would be silly for me to type it all up again. So I won’t. But if you are just joining us and want to know what the heck I am going on about, you can go read it here.
Now ramp season may be winding down, but we still have another recipe to share with you. This easy beer bread was one of the very first things I ever made with ramps, and I have made multiple loaves of it every season since. And while we prefer this one with fresh ramps, you don’t necessarily need fresh ones. A common and simple way to preserve ramps is to slice and cook them in oil, and then freeze them. So if you’ve done this and have a stash on hand, you can absolutely make this recipe and it will be every bit as good. You don’t need a huge number of ramps for this, either, which is handy for those who can only get a hold of a handful at a time. Unless, of course, you want to make A LOT of this – which you just might.
Beer breads in general have been a favorite of mine for quite some time. Since they are a quick bread (meaning there is no yeast and the associated faffing around with letting dough rise), they are super easy to throw together whenever you want a fix of doughy carbs. They are also infinitely customizable, letting you experiment with any number of mix-ins or different types of beer. But this version using ramps, aged goat cheese, and a nutty dark ale has pretty much ruined me for any other variety. Sometimes I wonder if it is just the fact that ramps are available for such a sort time that makes this one stand out in my mind. But then I make it again, and realize that, no it’s just THAT GOOD.
The beer and cheese selection make all of the difference in this recipe. For the beer, you want dark, amber, or brown ale that is smooth and nutty. Personal picks for this are New Belgium Fat Tire, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Trader Joe’s Black Toad. Other beers will work, but I would avoid anything like bitter IPAs, heavy stouts, or anything sour or flavored. As for the cheese, you are looking for an aged goat cheese, which will be firm and suitable for grating. I highly recommend Grumpy Goat from Nordic Creamery, but other aged goat cheese will work (but not soft, gooey fresh goat cheese!). If you can’t find any (or just don’t want to use goat cheese), aged gouda is a good substitute.
While the bulk of the baked goods we’ve posted here have been gluten-free due to Chele’s celiac disease, this one really needs the full wheat treatment for the true experience. We have done this in gluten-free format, though, using a gluten-free baking flour blend and New Grist gluten-free beer from Lakefront Brewery. The flavor and texture was quite different from the main recipe, but it was still very good. So if you can’t do gluten, give that a shot if you feel like you are being left out in the cold on this one.
Ramp Beer Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 Tbs baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 4 ramps
- ½ cup aged goat cheese or aged gouda shredded
- 12 oz dark, brown, or amber ale (choose something smooth and nutty)
- ¼ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Wash ramps and trim roots, then gently pat dry. Mince the whole plants (bulbs, stems, and leaves) and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except beer and butter. Mix well.
- Pour in beer and gently mix together until just combined. Use as few strokes as possible to avoid overmixing. Batter will be extremely thick and dough-like.
- Spread the batter into a greased standard loaf pan (8½"x4½"). Use a rubber spatula to make sure it is evenly distributed, pushing it into the corners of the pan if necessary.
- Pour melted butter over the top, and bake at 375°F for 50 minutes, or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the loaf out from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ramps, a wild relative of onions and garlic, are only available for a few weeks each spring. You can forage for them yourself, or check your local farmers markets while they are in season.
- If you want to use sliced, frozen ramps instead of fresh, you will need approximately ¼ to ½ cup.
- While there really isn’t a perfect substitute for ramps, Chinese/Asian chives (aka nitra) work admirably well as a stand in for them in this recipe.
- To make this gluten-free: use the gluten-free baking flour of your choice and a certified gluten-free beer such as New Grist from Lakefront Brewery. The flavor and texture will be different, but will still be quite good.
- To make this dairy-free and vegan: use a plant-based butter and substitute an equal amount of nutritional yeast in place of the cheese. Or omit the cheese entirely, if you prefer.
