Publication: I'm Not Martha
Fiddlehead ferns | |
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I'M NOT MARTHA - Tuesday, March 27, 2007
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Hi! I'm Lizzy!! and I'm not Martha!!!
i was talking to The Contessa the other day. She told me she
had seen the first fiddlehead fern arrive at the green grocer.
We both love this unique veggie that grows mainly in the
Northeast, though they are found just about everywhere these
days.
Holiday dinners are being planned...whether it's Easter or
Seder, wonderful vegetable dishes are a Springtime treat.
Fiddlehead fern is almost always the prized side dish at my
table. And another favorite is sugar snap peas. Love them
both. The Contessa and I drooled over the phone just talking
food back and forth. She's planning. I'm planning. Are
you?
P.S. If you're interested we now have a forum. You can post
comments on this and recent issues at... Not Martha forum
FIDDLEHEAD FERN
A young, edible, tightly coiled fern frond that resembles
the spiral end of a violin (fiddle). It is also referred to
as ostrich fern and pohole. They are simply the immature
leaf fronds of ostrich fern plants that have not yet opened.
The shoots are in their coiled form for only about 2 weeks
before they unfurl into graceful greenery.
Fern leaves are poisonous once they open and can only be
enjoyed in this early stage, when they taste like a cross
between artichokes and asparagus.
Fiddlehead ferns are a rich, deep green color and are about
2 inches long and 11/2 inches in diameter.
Choose small, firm, brightly colored ferns with no sign of
softness or yellowing. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, for no
more than 2 days.
After a fiddlehead is removed from the stalk, the cut end
starts to turn brown. Be sure to trim back the stem (about
1/4 inch) to the healthy green section and trim any fuzzy
ends around the fiddlehead before cooking.
They may be served cooked as a first course or side dish or
used raw in salads. Fiddlehead ferns are a good source of
vitamins A and C.
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FIDDLEHEAD FERN WITH PROSCUITTO
Serves 6
Kosher salt
2 pounds fiddle head ferns, tripped and washed
24 paper-thin slices prosciutto
6 tablespoons brown butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large pot bring 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt
to a boil. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Drop
the fiddleheads into the pot and cook for 1 minute. Drain
the fiddleheads in a colander, then submerge in the ice
water until completely cool. Let the fiddleheads drain well
in a colander and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to dry.
2. Arrange 2 slices of prosciutto on each of 6 room temper-
ature plates.
3. Put the brown butter in a large saute pan over medium
heat. Add the fiddleheads and toss gently, adding 1/2 tea-
spoon salt and the pepper. Heat for a minute or two until
they are warm, then divide the fiddleheads among the 6
plates. Serve at once.
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Sweet and succulent, sugar snap peas are the result of
crossing English peas with snow peas and you eat them
whole, pods and all--no waste, just tons of great spring-
time taste.
Snap peas should have good color, darker than regular for
sugar snap peas. They should also exhibit a firm crispness.
The ideal size for sugar snap peas is 2 1/2 to 3 inches in
length. They should also have a plump, snug pod encasing
the peas inside. Sugar peas have a somewhat longer shelf
life than green peas, up to three days when kept refriger-
ated unwashed, in plastic bags.
Before you eat them, snap off the stem and remove the
stringy spines on both sides of the pod.
ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS
1/2 pound sugar snap peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
kosher salt to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking
sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with shallots,
thyme, and kosher salt.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender but
firm.
MINTED LAMB AND SUGAR SNAP PEA SALAD
This is a nice use of leftover lamb.
1 pound sugar snap peas (about 4 cups), trimmed
1 1/2 pounds cooked Butterflied Leg of Lamb, cut across
grain into thin slices
1 small red onion, slices thin
For dressing
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Garnish: mint sprigs
In a saucepan of boiling salted water blanch peas 1 minute
and drain in a sieve. Rinse peas under cold water to stop
cooking and drain well.
In a large bowl toss peas with lamb and onion.
Make dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients.
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well. Garnish salad
with mint sprigs.
Serves 4 to 6.
Gourmet
July 1994
Lizzy
Questions...Comments...? email Lizzy
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