Freshly picked ramsons, Allium ursinum
Almost every year I pick ramsons in the wood and pickle them in salt, as I learned Siberia. They use a different species, alpine leek (Allium victorialis), but I know that in the European part of Russia they like to use ramsons, and the result is hard to tell apart.
When picking ramsons, take only the leaves, so the bulb can survive. In Siberia, where people forage in the deep forest, they are most particular about only taking the leaves, leaving the onion, and only some of the leaves, to let the plants grow on, and tolerate another picking the following year.
First I chop the leaves, then I weigh them, and add 2-4 grams of salt per 100 grams of ramsons.
The chopped and salted ramsons will now be squeezed, so that the cell walls are broken apart and the juice becomes visible. I started out using a wooden pounder, but it came to my mind that I always end up using my hands. It’s faster, easier and more comfortable by hand, but I could not take a photo at the same time. After this process, the leaves have become quite dark and covered with its juice.
Salted ramsons packed airtight
As with sauerkraut, the ramsons must be packed airtight. I used a zipper-lock plastic bag and apparently it worked great. There was less residual air left than when I pack in glass. But the very next day I had to recognize that plastic bags are not aroma proof. The whole fridge smelled intensely of ramsons, even on entering the house you could notice the smell of ramsons.
Cheremsha – salted ramsons in small glasses
The solution was to pack the salted ramsons in small roe glasses. Now they can be stored in the refrigerator without any leak of aroma.
I call the result for Cheremsha (Черемша in Russian), as they name it in Siberia. The aroma is even stronger than in the fresh ramsons, so a little goes a long way. The intense chemical sense on opening a glass should not upset you, as it is how it should be. Once it gets mixed with sour cream or other ingredients, the wonderful flavour comes out, a true delicacy. Cheremsha is also used in meatballs and other recipes with minced meat.
I think the salt pickling process enhance the umami component in the taste of ramsons.
Where I pick my ramsons?
It’s a secret, but I can reveal, that they are very common in woods around Copenhagen – just keep off my little spot of ramsons 😉
Here’s a YouTube from Khabarovsk in Siberia (jump 2½ minutes ahead):
April 26, 2012 at 19:34
I have never heard of ramsons. When I first started to read it I thought it was a fruit like damsons I suppose. Sounds good though.
April 26, 2012 at 20:42
Ohh…Ramsons and damsons 🙂
Both wonderful, but for different reasons and in different seasons.
May 12, 2012 at 14:29
I wonder if pickling new garlic shoots like this would produce anything interesting. I must try it with my garlic that is beginning to sprout now.
May 31, 2012 at 21:59
Such interesting information on how to prepare Ramsons. Thank you.
June 5, 2012 at 11:28
I make a “tapenade” from the leaves in a blender with some good oil. I keep it in a jar inthe fridge – and it keeps for years.
As for the pickled ramsons I’d guess it’d be great in a “garlic” butter.
June 7, 2012 at 00:11
What a wonderful recipe. Thank you!!
June 7, 2012 at 08:18
I agree. This looks wonderful!
June 23, 2012 at 22:41
I live on the outskirts of Copenhagen’s Kommune, and was wondering if there was still a place where I could get Ramsons before the season ends… any ideas? And is it illegal to pick it in the forests here, ’cause it is where I’m from… looking forward to trying this out 🙂
June 24, 2012 at 13:54
Hello Kimberley, have a look at the map here:
http://www.fugleognatur.dk/vispaakort.aspx?artid=2677
June 24, 2012 at 17:57
Oh thank you so much!! It is greatly appreciated!
April 14, 2013 at 11:15
I hadn’t seen ramsons used in this way before, so thanks for sharing!