Asparagus, Ramps, & Morels...OH MY!

In case you have not heard...Spring has sprung my friends! It brings with it some delightful treats, 3 of my favorites being asparagus, ramps, & morel. Makes me giggle just thinking about them. All are wonderful simple additions to most meals. I don't know about you, but I love my asparagus drizzled with delicious olive oil, sprinkled with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and maybe a little lemon zest for an extra kick easily roasted in the oven for 10 mins. Delicious.
Ramps, or wild leeks, are my favorite & most flavorful member of the onion family. They are best to be hunted in April & May and are my favorite addition to any pizza or tart when caramelized. Use sparingly though...these guys have a tendency to be pretty intense! Flavor burst? Yes please.
Lastly, morels. Delightful for their rarity & beauty. Also a wild delight, morels hunting begins in spring & the timing varies largely based on several variables including rainfall, ground & air temperatures, and luck of course. There are several theories on the ideal conditions for these tasty fungi, but the safest bet is to go where they have been spotted in the past, or just buy them at your local farmers market (haha...the obvious choice for most). If you are up for the hunt, check out this site for tips & tricks...

http://thegreatmorel.com/

And of course before allowing entry into your precious stomach, make sure what you've found is edible as some varieties are poisonous.

http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/mushrooms/mushroom/index.htm

When you've done found your mushrooms add them to a delightful spring pasta or make an easy spring pizza with a tasty gruyere. Simple & darn right fungical!

Enjoy the Spring and all the amazing ingredients it brings!