Hearty Barley & Potato Soup with Ramps

I can always tell that spring has sprung when the ramps return, shooting their purple-throated green leaves through the leaf litter like there's no tomorrow. And for some of these beautiful little wild cousins of the onion, there will be no tomorrow, because Tim and I have been eagerly watching for their arrival with foraging stick and collecting bag in hand.

Ramps are excellent in many dishes, but one of my favorite uses for them is in a good soup. This vegan soup was one of my few recipes that turned out perfect (in my opinion) on the first try, but it's super simple so you can add ingredients as you wish. Just don't do anything too crazy that will take the ramps out of the spotlight.

Ingredients:

• 10 c homemade vegetable stock (add link to a recipe for veggie stock)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb potatoes (about 4 small-medium)
• 1 c pearl barley
• 1 tsp salt
• 20 fresh ramps
• 3-4 small kale leaves
• Salt and pepper

Wash and dice potatoes, leaving skins on (unless you want to get rid of all the nutritional yummyness by peeling them, but who would do that?). Place in a large pot with veggie stock, bay leaf, barley, and salt.  Bring slowly to a boil, then cover and simmer at least 30 minutes. Clean and chop the ramps and kale and add to the soup. Allow to return to a boil and boil gently for at least 10 minutes. As with most soups, the longer you cook it, the better the flavors will be infused. You know it's ready when the broth has a cloudy, pale appearance and you can taste the ramps in the broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot, with crusty bread. Serves 6.