Flowering Leeks vs Ossetian Ramps

I love feeding people. Cooking up a storm and sharing with everyone. But… there are a few dishes I secretly dream of devouring all by myself. No sharing. Blanched stems of flowering leeks? Top of that list.

Why? Because if you ever tasted Ossetian ramps (черемша) as a child and then spent decades without them… flowering leeks come in as a very close second. Never heard of Ossetian ramps? Then you probably won’t understand me.

Let me explain. I say Ossetian for a reason—only in Ossetia ramps are treated like national treasure. They're foraged in the mountains while there’s still snow on the ground, harvested as tiny white shoots, just barely tipped with green. Not the leaves. Definitely not the flowers. Shoots only. They were about 3–4mm thick, maybe 10cm long… or so they seemed to little me.

Back then, our relatives used to send us a whole sack of ramps by train, from (then) Ordzhonikidze. The smell in the kitchen was magic—steamed ramps mixing with the scent of new potatoes and the richest Ukrainian sunflower oil. Oh, that flavor...

Back to flowering leeks. You can find them here in Austin at H Mart or Ranch 99.

blanched, seasoned, and dressed flowering leeks

Here’s how I do it:

— Cut the stems in half.

— Blanch the thick part in boiling water for 5 minutes.

— Take them out, toss into a bowl with salt, pepper, good olive oil, and your favorite vinegar—taste and trust your instincts. Let them rest and soften as they cool.

— Then blanch the thinner top ends with the buds for just 2–3 minutes. Season separately the same way.

see how to cook flowering leeks

It’s the ultimate appetizer. Try not to eat the whole thing while it’s still warm—I dare you.