Bear's leeks are upon us
 

Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.

On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.

Victor

In article >,
(Victor Sack) wrote:

> Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
> wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
>
> On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
> decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
> edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
> course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
> broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
> cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
> leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
> mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
> and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
> and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
> retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.
>
> Victor

Sounds good! Crackers with the soup? "-)
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> Cam Ranh Bay food added 4-8-05.
Sam I Am! updated 4-9-05.
"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

On Sun, 17 Apr 2005 23:50:43 +0200, (Victor Sack)
wrote:

>Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
>wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
>
>On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
>decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
>edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
>course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
>broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
>cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
>leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
>mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
>and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
>and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
>retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.
>
Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?


Rodney Myrvaagnes Opinionated old geezer J36 Gjøa


I wonder if the tourists following the wine-tasting
circuit in 'Sideways' start off by doing the NY Times
crossword in ink as they drive up I-5?

Rodney Myrvaagnes > wrote:

> (Victor Sack) wrote:
>
> >Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
> >wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
> >
> Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?

I've never tasted ramps, but, indeed, it is said to be very similar and
looks simliar, too. They are both leafy plants from the Allium family
and both have a distinctive garlic smell and taste. According to
Gernot's site, ramps tend to taste more "oniony", though.

Here are some pictures for comparison:

Bear's leeks:
<http://heilpflanzen.wetteronline.de/baerlauch/baerlauch_bilder.shtml>

Ramps:
<http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html>

Victor

Dog3 > wrote:

> (Victor Sack) typed this gem
>
> > On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
> > decided to make a simple soup.
>
> Sounds great. What did you serve with the soup. Bread maybe? Salad? Spill
> it Victor ;)

Some Ostfriesenbrot (a kind of dark rye bread).

Victor

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> (Victor Sack) wrote:
>
> > Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, B=E4rlauch, ail des ours,
cheremsha,
> > wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
> >
> > On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
> > decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini,
boletus
> > edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans
meat, of
> > course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light
mushroom
> > broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
> > cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's
leek
> > leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added
the
> > mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and
allspice
> > and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty
indeed
> > and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
> > retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.
> >
> > Victor
>
> Sounds good! Crackers with the soup? "-)

Why do I keep reading this thread as "Beer Leaks".

Sheldon

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:46:11 +0200, (Victor Sack)
wrote:

>Rodney Myrvaagnes > wrote:
>
>> (Victor Sack) wrote:
>>
>> >Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
>> >wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
>> >
>> Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?
>
>I've never tasted ramps, but, indeed, it is said to be very similar and
>looks simliar, too. They are both leafy plants from the Allium family
>and both have a distinctive garlic smell and taste. According to
>Gernot's site, ramps tend to taste more "oniony", though.
>
>Here are some pictures for comparison:
>
>Bear's leeks:
><http://heilpflanzen.wetteronline.de/baerlauch/baerlauch_bilder.shtml>
>
>Ramps:
><http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html>
>
Thanks, Victor

The ramp leaves are more elongated than the laid-out bear leek leaf in
your first url. The CT site says the leaves disappear before
flowering, which appears to be untrue for the bear leek.

I saw something in a Paris veg stand once that looked a lot like
ramps. I guess it was bear leek.


Rodney Myrvaagnes Opionated old geezer

Faith-based economics: It's deja voodoo all over again

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
. ..
> Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
> wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
>
> On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
> decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini, boletus
> edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans meat, of
> course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light mushroom
> broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
> cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's leek
> leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added the
> mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and allspice
> and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty indeed
> and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
> retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.
>
> Victor

You have inspired me to do something similar, since the woods and
brook-sides around here a choc-full of the stuff. Thanks!


I find it makes a good herb for stews and soups etc. if dried too.



Shaun aRe

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
ups.com...

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> (Victor Sack) wrote:
>
> > Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours,
cheremsha,
> > wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
> >
> > On Saturday, I scored a few nice, large bunches at the market and
> > decided to make a simple soup. I had some dried ceps (porcini,
boletus
> > edulis) soaking, intending to make a mushroom-barley soup (sans
meat, of
> > course, as it would be a waste of porcini), but made a light
mushroom
> > broth with parsley and parsnip roots, and celery stalks instead and
> > cooked some cubed potatoes in it. Meanwhile, I rinsed the bear's
leek
> > leaves, let them quickly wilt in some hot clarified butter, added
the
> > mushroom broth with just the potatoes left in, pepper, salt and
allspice
> > and brought it not quite to the boil. The soup was very tasty
indeed
> > and we ate the lot. The less you cook bear's garlic, the better it
> > retains its wonderful garlicky flavour.
> >
> > Victor
>
> Sounds good! Crackers with the soup? "-)

"Why do I keep reading this thread as "Beer Leaks".

Sheldon"


Thirsty? ',;~}~



Shaun aRe

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 18 Apr 2005 23:46:11 +0200, (Victor Sack)
> wrote:
>
> >Rodney Myrvaagnes > wrote:
> >
> >> (Victor Sack) wrote:
> >>
> >> >Bear's leeks (AKA Allium ursinum, Bärlauch, ail des ours, cheremsha,
> >> >wild garlic, etc.) are here at last, for few weeks at least.
> >> >
> >> Victor, Is this plant similar to the ramps of Appalachia?
> >
> >I've never tasted ramps, but, indeed, it is said to be very similar and
> >looks simliar, too. They are both leafy plants from the Allium family
> >and both have a distinctive garlic smell and taste. According to
> >Gernot's site, ramps tend to taste more "oniony", though.
> >
> >Here are some pictures for comparison:
> >
> >Bear's leeks:
> ><http://heilpflanzen.wetteronline.de/baerlauch/baerlauch_bilder.shtml>
> >
> >Ramps:
> ><http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/alliumtric.html>
> >
> Thanks, Victor
>
> The ramp leaves are more elongated than the laid-out bear leek leaf in
> your first url. The CT site says the leaves disappear before
> flowering, which appears to be untrue for the bear leek.
>
> I saw something in a Paris veg stand once that looked a lot like
> ramps. I guess it was bear leek.

Useful stuff!

Try fresh whole trout, laid on a bed of the leaves, with thin slices of
orange on top, then more of the leaves - wrap in a sealed parcel and cook,
either in the oven, or over an open fire (how I first saw it done 'on da
telly' - in the outdoors, on a river bank where the fish had just been
landed).


Shaun aRe