Potato Coins and Ramps
Sometimes the greatest things can also be the simplest, a concept in the kitchen that we call “less is more”. One of the biggest struggles that I see people have with cooking is that they think that to make something taste good it needs to have a ton of ingredients or various secret spices. When you keep things simple, the natural flavor of the ingredients will shine, as opposed to them being overpowered by something like dried herbs and spices.
The ramps here are the first ones I picked this year. In the beginning of Spring. They’re mostly leaves, with only a little bit of stem. Their flavor isn’t as strong or “rampy” yet, they’re more like strong chives. A quick saute is all they need. Potatoes are sort of a blank slate, they take on the flavors of other things very well, think of them as simply a vehicle for the ramps. The fried egg is an embellishment, but it’s an easy one.
Baby Potatoes with Young Ramps and a Duck Egg
Ingredients
- 8 oz baby red potatoes sliced into 1/4 inch coins
- 2 oz whole young ramps bulbs and leaves thinly sliced, this is about 5-6 young ramps
- flavorless oil for sauteeing
- salt and pepper
- Unsalted butter
- 2 duck eggs
Instructions
- Get a very wide pan hot and add the oil, then add the sliced potatoes, season with salt, and pepper, adding a little butter if needed to prevent burning.
- Turn the heat down to low and cover, stirring gently with a spatula on occasion until the potatoes are cooked through, but not colored, about 4 minutes
- In a nonstick or cast iron pan, heat 1 tbsp butter and add the duck eggs. Cook the eggs on very low heat until the whites are set, but the yolk is still runny, about 4 minutes,
- Add the ramps to the potatoes and stir, just enough to heat the ramps through.
- Place some potatoes and ramps on each of two plates, top each with a duck egg and serve immediately.
This was awesome. Followed directions but needed to adjust the time on the potatoes to 8 minutes. It delivers on every front. Ease of prep, simplicity of cooking and plating, and a wow factor from that first bite with that duck egg yoke. This is what we call a “keeper”.
Glad you liked it, this one is an older recipe, a breakfast I made for my friend while I was living in his basement as a line cook.