IN SEASON

What's in Season in New Jersey in Spring - Fiddlehead Ferns

Photography By | May 05, 2019
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angel hair pasta with fiddlehead ferns

ANGEL HAIR PASTA
 

The great Emeril Lagasse tosses fiddleheads with angel hair pasta. Blanch I pound fiddleheads. Boil 1 pound pasta, 3 to 5 minutes, in the same water In a skillet, saute fiddleheads in 3 tablespoons olive oil with 2 green onions (thinly sliced) and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add drained pasta to the skillet, so it can soak up all those flavors, for 2 minutes. Season to taste and top with Parmesan. (Think also about topping with paprika and/or cayenne).

sauteed fiddlehead ferns

SAUTEED
 

Cook fiddleheads in a pot of boiling water; salted, for 7 to 10 minutes. Drain. Saute fiddleheads on medium-high heat in a skillet with olive oil and garlic.

Fiddlehead Fern Tart

TART
 

Quiches and tarts are rightfully making a comeback. Once you perfect a recipe, you can add in almost any seasonal vegetable. We like the decadent, rich, classic— and definitely French—Madame Quiche recipe featured on epicurious.com. Add sauteed fiddleheads to the crust before adding the custard.

Fiddlehead Fern Saffron Soup

FIDDLEHEAD SAFFRON SOUP
 

The Food Network offers this simple yet elegant interpretation. Boil 4 cups chicken stock with 1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron. Turn off heat. Beat together two egg yolks with 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Whisk a ladleful of the hot stock over the yolk mixture. Repeat. Add yolk mixture to broth. Stir in ¼ cup cream. Add sauteed fiddleheads (see instructions this page). Gently reheat. (Don't boil, it will curdle.)

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