Fresh fiddleheads - 500 g
Salted water - 4 L
Butter - 1/8 lb.
Trim any rusted pieces off of the fiddle heads. Brush off any dry pieces.
Blanch for four minutes in salted water. (When I say salted water, I mean it should taste like the ocean.) The water will turn a little rust colored, this is natural. If you are not going to finish cooking the fiddleheads right away, then cool the fiddleheads in some ice water, drain and store covered in the cooler until needed. You can do this step a few hours ahead of time. For my money, I prefer to cook green vegetables just prior to service.
Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat. When the butter has melted add the fiddle heads and sauté for about four minutes.
Other Instructions: This is a very basic recipe to introduce you to fiddleheads. The important thing is not to eat them raw; they can be a little el dante, like you would cook asparagus. As far as flavour profile, you can also flavor them as you would asparagus. Lemon, parmesan cheese, orange and bacon. etc.
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Now You're Cooking: Fiddleheads with angel hair pasta
Fiddleheads, fresh - 250 g
Butter - as needed
Angel hair pasta, cooked - 500 ml
Grape tomatoes - 10 each
Cold pressed canola oil - 100 ml
Chili flakes - to taste
Parmesan cheese - 30 ml
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Blanch the fiddleheads in salted boiling water for three to five minutes. Don’t panic when the water turns a rusty color. This is normal when you are cooking fiddleheads. When done, either cool the fiddleheads under ice water, strain and refrigerate or use immediately.
Heat some butter in a frying pan. When hot, add the blanched fiddle heads. While your fiddleheads are sautéing, place your angel hair pasta in salted boiling water. And then place the tomatoes, oil, chili flakes, salt and pepper in an oven-proof dish and place somewhere to warm up. Sometimes I place the bowl in the oven or even just on the back of the stove.
When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and toss it with the tomatoes, and then add the fiddleheads.
Plate and then top with parmesan cheese.
