Fiddle Diddle oh Fiddleheads
They are here to mark the beginning of the Spring.
Yet, they are disappearing as June is coming.
Now we've stepped onto June first.
I better go hurry and get them while they last!
There you go, a little ultra-amateur prose from me to you :)
What's so special about this fiddleheads? I have no idea other than that they are only around in the spring, that I have never tasted them, and that they resemble so much like the vegetables I had back home called 'pakis'.
Honestly, I'm just curious! And the best place to find them is at St. Lawrence Market.
I was right. I was so happy to find this rather pricey wild vegetable, proudly harvested from local Ontario farms. This is the least I could do to contribute eating local :)
A little note from me: the cheapest one is at Phil's Place in the basement at $6.99 per lb.
What makes it even more exciting is that Toronto Star's Food section [every Wednesday] has been featuring this lovely vegetable twice. With my level of curiosity building up and an array of new recipes to try, what more could a girl ask for?
The way I presented this dish [to my sister and myself] was quick, easy, and a combination of different recipes and imagination.
Fiddleheads Sauté with Pine Nuts and Fettucine Drizzled in Lemon Oil
adapted from Fiddlehead Joe's recipe
Direction:
01. Add fiddleheads to medium pan of boiling, salted water. Cook 10 minutes. Rinse under cold, running water; drain well.
02. Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium-high. Add shallot. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add fiddleheads and chili flakes. Cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender. Season well with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Drizzle with lemon oil.
03. At the same time, prepare the fettucine bed.
04. Assemble to your preference and garnish with toasted pine nuts.
Yet, they are disappearing as June is coming.
Now we've stepped onto June first.
I better go hurry and get them while they last!
There you go, a little ultra-amateur prose from me to you :)
What's so special about this fiddleheads? I have no idea other than that they are only around in the spring, that I have never tasted them, and that they resemble so much like the vegetables I had back home called 'pakis'.
Honestly, I'm just curious! And the best place to find them is at St. Lawrence Market.
I was right. I was so happy to find this rather pricey wild vegetable, proudly harvested from local Ontario farms. This is the least I could do to contribute eating local :)
A little note from me: the cheapest one is at Phil's Place in the basement at $6.99 per lb.
What makes it even more exciting is that Toronto Star's Food section [every Wednesday] has been featuring this lovely vegetable twice. With my level of curiosity building up and an array of new recipes to try, what more could a girl ask for?
The way I presented this dish [to my sister and myself] was quick, easy, and a combination of different recipes and imagination.
Fiddleheads Sauté with Pine Nuts and Fettucine Drizzled in Lemon Oil
adapted from Fiddlehead Joe's recipe
1 cup fiddleheads, trimmed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 T rice wine or white wine
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon oil, to drizzle
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 T rice wine or white wine
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon oil, to drizzle
fettucine, prepared as instructed on the package
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon oil, to drizzle
garnish:
pine nuts, toasted
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon oil, to drizzle
garnish:
pine nuts, toasted
Direction:
01. Add fiddleheads to medium pan of boiling, salted water. Cook 10 minutes. Rinse under cold, running water; drain well.
02. Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium-high. Add shallot. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add fiddleheads and chili flakes. Cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender. Season well with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Drizzle with lemon oil.
03. At the same time, prepare the fettucine bed.
04. Assemble to your preference and garnish with toasted pine nuts.
I hope you like it :)
posted by little pomelo @ 9:48 PM
9 Comments:
I've never heard of fiddleheads nor had i seen one before. Thanks for opening my eyes to these. What did it taste like? Curious.
Hi Ceendy,
You know I've never tried fiddleheads! But I love your post and the recipe is very enticing. I think I may have to give these a try!
Mae,
Fiddleheads are a type of edible fern. According to Wikipedia, some are poisonous while some are edible. Since this is one of culinary rarity, I couldn't help not trying it. They actually have leaves on the curled up part. At first they tasted a bit bitter, but firther cooking diminished the bitterness. The leaves are like cooked spinach while the stalk is a bit crunchy. I can't really describe them very well. I think I must try them again :)
Ivonne,
Try it soon coz they'll be gone when summer arrives (according to Star). Did you notice that I used the lemon oil presented in your entry over a month ago? Thanks again for sharing that recipe!
I have never had fiddleheads either!
But I always want to try them, I love food I have not had yet.
At the top of my list is Sea Cucumber: every time I eat in China Town I want to order it but no one will share with me.
Fiddleheads = fern oo =p
I have never seen or hear of a fiddlehead either but after checking wikipedia I see they are young fern tips.
I love to try new foods and would definately give them a go if we could get them over here in Switzerland!
Pamela,
thanks a lot for taking a look around my blog :)
Wow, I'm surprised that not many people know or have tried fiddleheads. I guess I had the strong drive to try it because it looks a lot like the fern I had back home. However, I found that they have a different texture.
I read that this is originally a wild fern and just recently been cultivated.
Wow, you live in Switzerland. I wonder what kind of foods are the specialties...
This is the second time I have heard of fiddleheads and I have to admit, I have never seen them here in Sydney. Very intriguing things they are...
Dear Princess, although I was reared on fiddleheads in Maine, I now live in Italy and cannot shoot a photo of them. May I use yours with a link from my blog Think On It?
Judith in Umbria
http://www.judithgreenwood.com/thinkonit/
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