Pickled Ramps with Saffron

I'm so excited, this is my very first time making and canning something that concludes with heat processing. Thanks to my friend Bertie, I now have the equipment I need!  I'll tell you more about that shortly...

...isn't this jar of pickled saffron ramps beautiful?  I can't wait to try them (another test of patience, we need to let them steep for at least 2 weeks before we open them).

Pickled Ramps with Saffron
I adapted this recipe from www.honest-food.net

Ingredients:

1 lb cleaned ramp bulbs (no greens for this recipe)
1/2 tsp saffron
2 cups of vinegar; a combination of 1/3 white wine vinegar, 1/3 white balsamic wine vinegar, 1/3 rice vinegar
1 cup water
2 tbsp clover honey
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp sea salt

This is the saffron up close...it has a very unique earthy kind of flavor and gives whatever you use it in a pretty red color, I can't wait to taste how it flavors ramps, you can be sure I'll tell you all about it.

Directions:

Begin by heating the water in your canning pot, it will take a while for it to come to a boil.  Be sure you have enough water to cover the jar (which is a lot of water, so I have saved it to use in washing dishes...waste not, want not!).

Pour the vinegar and water into a sauce pan and then crumble the saffron into it.

 Add the salt and turn the heat to medium high.

Add the honey to the vinegar mixture once it warms and stir to combine.

When the mixture begins to boil, add the ramps and boil for 3 minutes.

Place 2 of the thyme sprigs into your sterilized jar (I always sterilize at least 2 extra, different size jars; I can use them if there is too much of the product for 1 jar).

After the mixture has boiled...

...use tongs to put the ramps into the jar (this will help temper the jar so when you pour the hot liquid into it, the jar won't crack).   Add 1 more thyme sprig to the top of the ramps (as soon as the heat of the ramps hit those first sprigs in the bottom of the jar, the lovely lemony thyme smell immediately filled the jar).

Use a funnel to pour the liquid into the jar, and once the liquid reaches the fill line of the jar, add the last sprig of thyme.  Place the lid and seal the jar with the ring.

Carefully (using a lovely tool like this one that Bertie gave me, thanks Bertie!)...

...place the sealed jar into the boiling water for 10 minutes (I know, seems like such a big pot for one jar, but I didn't want to make more of these pickled ramps until we tried them, and the pot had to be big enough to cover the standing jar)...

 ...put the lid on it so the water doesn't splash everywhere... I left a slight opening in the back to allow some of the steam to escape. 

After 10 minutes, remove the jar and place it on a cooling rack...it won't take long before you hear the popping sound of the lid sealing...I love that sound!

I didn't have any ramps left, but I did have some vinegar/honey/saffron liquid, so I poured it into a jar and will keep it in the fridge to use in making salad dressing, or anything else that sounds good. This juice doesn't have the thyme flavor in it, but I figure I can add whatever fresh herb will complement what I'm using it for.  

What a pretty jar of pickled ramps!  Thanks to Johny's helping hand so I could get a good picture:)  This  jar will store for up to one year; once opened, store in the refrigerator.

You might be wondering when I will stop writing about ramps, but hey, when it's ramp season, what else is a girl to do?  I am making meatloaf seasoned with ramps instead of onions tonight, but I won't take you through that whole recipe...

BTW, the fresh trout Johny brought home from camping was fantastic...light, slightly sweet, delicious!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,

Lise