Greene County's Lew Matt has collected thousands of regional recipes, including dozens using ramps, or wild leeks. These come from his self-published book "Appalachian Cooking: Ramps and Morels," which he'll sell at this weekend's Ramp Festival in Greene County. It's also available for $13.95 plus $3 shipping by writing him at 186 Pine Run Road, Holbrook, PA 15341.

COCK-A-RAMPY SOUP

• 3-pound chicken, cut up
• 4 cups water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• ¹/₂ cup of barley
• 4 cups whole ramps, sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cook the chicken in the water with the onion, celery, carrots and bay leaf until the chicken is ready to fall off the bones. Remove the chicken from the bones and skin and cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Discard the vegetables, bones and skin. Chill the broth to remove the fat, and discard.

Heat the broth, chicken, barley, ramps and salt to boiling, then reduce heat and cover and simmer 45 minutes.

Serves 4.

-- "Appalachian Cooking: Ramps and Morels" by Lewis J. Matt III

---

Walt Danna, who lives in Hopewell, Washington County, also has a "Ramp Cookbook," which he first published in 1994 and which he'll sell at this weekend's Ramp Festival in Greene County (for $3). Even Mr. Matt says he cooks "vonderful goot." Here's one of his specialities.

RAMP DIP

This is the base for many recipes.

• 1 pound Velveeta cheese (no substitutes)
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 cup minced ramps

Cut Velveeta into chunks. Place in blender with cream cheese and blend until smooth.

Add sour cream and ramps and blend until smooth.

-- "Walt Danna's Ramp Cookbook"

---

RAMP FRITTERS WITH SALSA

For the fritters

• 1 pound fresh green beans (2-inch pieces)
• 2 pounds ramps (tops and bottoms, 2-inch pieces)
• 1 cup ham (diced small)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup potatoes (diced small)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¹/₂ teaspoon pepper
• Parmesan cheese for garnishing

Boil beans for 30 minutes. Drain. Add ramps and ham. Meanwhile beat eggs in large bowl. Add flour until a thick consistency is reached. Let sit.

Boil potatoes for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain while still hot. Add potatoes, bean mixture, salt and pepper to flour and egg mixture. Stir.

Drop by tablespoonfuls into a skillet with hot oil. Fry until golden brown and put on a platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

For the salsa

• 1 pepper (sweet, medium or hot, chopped)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cup ramps, chopped
• 1 stick butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon oil

Pull all ingredients into a sauce pan and heat just until butter melts. That's it.

-- Walter Danna's Ramp Cookbook