THE DANE COUNTY FARMERS MARKET IS BACK! Finally the vibrant fuchsia center of beauty heart radish graces my plate, tender arugula leaves are passed out as samples by the man who harvested them in the Saturday dawn and bunches of aromatic ramps catch my eye for a spring pesto.

This is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year to be eating. (ok, the lush tomatoes and sweet corn of late summer provide stiff competition). I have an east-facing apartment so on that glorious first-market day 6:15 am rolled around and I was up and at ‘em. With the promise of a pasty and a market dinner later that night, and I cajoled my handsome man to meet me on the capital square.

This week my loot included fresh arugula, Spanish Black Round radishes, fresh salsa and two massive bunches of ramps and young goat feta (In all, we sampled a dozen different cheeses, salsas, and infused oils; we sipped strong black coffee, indulged in chocolate filled croissants, a raspberry oatmeal muffin and I seriously considered bison beef jerky, goodness I love snacks!)

The ramps were far and away the most exiting purchase. For the virgin ramp consumer, a ramp is a wild leek, its’ flavor bridges the gap between an onion and young garlic. Their tender leaves don’t need any cooking before they are incorporated into most dishes, including this pesto recipe. The vibrant green of this sauce coats the pasta in a restaurant worthy elegance.

Seared Salmon with Linguini and Wild Ramp Pesto

1 bunch wild ramps, bulbs and stems thinly sliced (about ½ cup), green leaves reserved and chopped

¼ basil, chopped

1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, + 1 tbsp for sautéing

Half a lemon

Salt, pepper

½ pound linguini (you can get it fresh at the Dane Co Market!)

2 pieces of salmon, about 6-8 oz per piece (this recipe provides abundant pesto for two people, I used it the next day on a pizza

Set a large pot of water to boil, cover and go about your business.

In a large pan, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the ramp bulbs and stems until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked ramps, green tops, pine nuts, cheese and basil to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until finely chopped and nearing a pasty composure, now slowly with the blade a-spinning, add 1/4 cup olive oil. The oil will emulsify as it integrates into the sauce. The result should be smooth, but toothy.

(Hopefully your pasta water is ready, add linguini)

Heat extra olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on the salmon and cook, skin side up first about 4-5 minutes per side.

Drain pasta and save a little of the water. Return to the pot and add all but 1/4 cup of the pesto. If sauce is too think add pasta water one tablespoon at a time. Divide pasta between two shallow bowls, top with salmon and smear remaining pesto across fish.

Eat!

The much awaited part two….
I gained a new appreciation for architectural beauty at the Farmers Market last Saturday. I love the idea of food as art and this was like seeing a Gaudi building. At the far side of the market, a man with large hands, well seasoned with fresh earth, cut piece off an enormous ruffly mushroom. Called Hen of the Woods, or Maitake in Japanese, this is a great fungi. Maitake means “dancing mushroom” and that’s just what it looks like, a lady’s skirt flying across the floor. Or, I suppose, maybe it means you’ll dance when you find it!

I can’t wait to use this mushroom. Though the fall season isn’t nearly long enough fully expound on this guy, it fresh-freezes very well. It’s also great for you. Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital has conducted some serious research with this fungi, and found some serious results. Anti-cancer and anti-diabetic elements are only the beginning. It’s also great for immune system support, hypertension relief and high cholesterol reduction. But the Chinese said it best, the Maitake balances the systems of your bodies. I like that. How can you not??

References: Sloan Kettering, americanmushrooms.com, and admittedly a little wikipedia.