Wild Leek(Allium tricoccum)

Wild Leek(Allium tricoccum)

(산마늘, 영어속명 Wild Leek
해마다 4월 중순이면 채취하여 먹을 수 있고, 6월 초가 되면 잎은 모두 사라지고 꽃대 한줄기만 돋아나 7월에 부추 꽃처럼 흰 꽃을 피우고 9월에 그 씨가 익는데 특징은 그 씨가 동글동글하다. 파전 부치듯 해물을 넣어 전을 부쳐 먹거나 김치를 담그고 잎이 넓어서 군고기를 쌈 싸 먹어도 좋은 봄철 강장 음식이다. 옛날 인디언들이 이 산마늘이 많이 돋는 곳을 확보하기 위하여 싸움을 벌이기도 하였다 하며 4월이면 북 캐로라이나에서는 산마늘 축제가 열리기도 한다.)

Other common names: Ramps
Family: Onion Family (Alliaceae)
Distinctive features: Grows from onion-like bulbs. Leaves and bulbs smell like onions.
Similar species:
• White Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum) - leaves are mottled. Flowers same time as leaves are out. Leaves do not smell like onions.
• Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) - leaves are mottled. Flowers same time as leaves are out. Leaves do not smell like onions.
• Yellow Clintonia (Clintonia borealis) - leaves do not smell like onions. Comes up later in the season.
Flowers: Summer; White; 6 parts (petals); The flowers bloom well after the leaves have appeared. In fact, the leaves die off and disappear before the flowers bloom.
Leaves: Leaves appear well before the flowers. Wild Leeks are among the first plants to come up in the spring.
Height: Up to about 8"
Stem: Flower stem smooth, without leaves.
Fruit/Seeds: Small, hard, shiny seeds atop a 6-8" stalk, persist into the winter.
Habitat: Forests.
Uses: The leaves and bulbs are edible. Please only collect when abundant, and then only collect scattered patches or individual plants. Ill effects may be experienced by some people if large amounts are eaten. If they don't smell like onions, the plants aren't Wild Leek.
Edible: The leaves and bulbs are edible. raw or cooked.
Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 332 Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 66 ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 59
Native/Non-native: Native

Notes: Wild Leeks are onion-like plants that grow in the deep woods. The leaves come up in the spring, usually before much of anything else has come up. The flowers only appear after the leaves have mostly died off.

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The ramp, sometimes called wild leek, is a wild onion native to North America. Though the bulb resembles that of a scallion, the beautiful flat, broad leaves set it apart. According to John Mariani, author of "The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink," the word ramp comes from "rams," or "ramson," an Elizabethan dialect rendering of the wild garlic. The word is first mentioned in English print in 1530, but was used earlier by English immigrants of the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Ramps grow from South Carolina to Canada, and in many areas they're considered a spring delicacy and even a reason for celebration. West Virginia is well-known for their many festivals and events in celebration of the ramp. The flavor and odor of ramps is usually compared to a combination of onions and garlic, and the garlic odor is particularly strong. Strong enough, in fact, that even ramp-lovers will advise caution. If you sit down to a big meal of ramps, don't be surprised if people continue to keep their distance after a few days have passed!
Cautions aside, ramps add wonderful and uniquely pungent flavor to soups, egg dishes, casseroles, rice dishes and potato dishes. Use them raw or cooked in any recipe calling for scallions or leeks, or cook them in a more traditional way, scrambled with eggs or fried with potatoes. Since ramps aren't cultivated in the way leeks are, they're much easier to clean. Just cut off roots, rinse thoroughly, and scrub off any excess dirt on the bulbs.
Ramps aren't available for long, but you can chop and freeze them for cooked dishes. The green tops are milder in flavor and are usually used along with the bulbs. I chop about half of the green leaves separately, air-dry them for a few hours then freeze them in an air-tight container for future use as a seasoning.
If you can't find ramps in your area, they are available seasonally at Earthy Delights.
If you're lucky enough to have fresh ramps in your area, try some of the recipes below.
Potato and Wild Leek Soup
Scalloped Potatoes and Ramps
Ramps with Bacon and Hard-Cooked Eggs
Ramps with EggsFried Ramps & Potatoes
Next Page: Recipes with Leeks and Green Onions


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