We show a method to sample an element alpha from a given ideal I, such that their quotient ideal (alpha)/I is a (possibly large) prime times a smooth number ('near-prime') with reasonable probability. This method consists of 'randomizing' the ideal I by multiplying it with small primes (yielding J) and consequently sampling the element alpha from this randomized ideal J intersected with a large box. The probability that the quotient (alpha)/J is prime (i.e., that the quotient (alpha)/I is a near-prime) is tightly related to density results on prime ideals (prime ideal theorem). As an application we show an efficient way to compute power residue symbols for varying degree number fields.