Buttery Swordfish with Ramps & More Ramps

This really isn't much of a recipe, more of a status update on what I'm eating, but it was quite tasty, so I hope you enjoy.

Ramp season is again upon us, and by us I mean the Northeast, Appalachia, parts of Canada and the Midwest. The UK also has very similar Rampsoms, which can be used in the same way as our Ramps. If you are unfamiliar, ramps are a gourmet, uncultivated onion, which can only be gathered in the wild, and only for about 3-4 weeks each spring. You can learn how to locate, ID and sustainably harvest Ramps from my blogpost here.

Ramps are so tasty, and they have been embraced by the world of restaurants and foodies, so they make a great way to introduce your hesitant friends to the world of foraging.

Swordfish isn't a fish I frequently eat, mostly for cost reasons, but also because I generally prefer to eat farm-raised for issues of sustainability. But properly harvested, swordfish can be one of the more sustainable wild-caught fishes, so make sure to check your source. This dish would be awesome with many kinds of fish really, salmon or perch would be great, as would any firm white fish (like sea bass, halibut, orange roughy, basa or swai). I think the ramps would probably overwhelm more delicate fish like flounder, but you should experiment with what is affordable and sustainable by you. 

Fish ready to go into the oven

Ramps with grated ramp butter

Buttery Swordfish with 

Ramps & More Ramps

Serves 2, can be doubled, or more

2 10oz swordfish steaks
2 handfuls of ramp leaves (about 30 total)
1/2 lemon
4 tbs. ramp compound butter. (Click for recipe)

1. Lay each handful of ramps on a foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Grate some frozen ramp compound butter over the leaves.
3. Salt and pepper both sides of your fish. Lay the fish on top of the ramp leaves, and try to tuck all of the leaf edges underneath the fish, to prevent burning. Grate more frozen ramp butter over the fish, then drizzle with fresh lemon juice.
4. Set the broiler to "high" and place fish under the broiler. Broil for 7 minutes on one side, then flip the fish, garnish with lemon slices (optional) and broil for another 5 minutes. Check for doneness.
5. Serve immediately with brown rice or couscous, mix the cooked ramp leaves into the rice or couscous as a side.