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At this time of year, a few things signal a final wrap to the winter season: The crabapple trees on my street are blooming, and at last my favourite vegetable supplier arrives with fiddleheads and wild leeks.
Fiddleheads - the curled shoots of a fern - are versatile, interesting to look at and easy to prepare. They're almost a wake-up call after a long sensory snooze. In spring I find myself thinking of new ways to cook these unique little treats, harvested by diligent foragers in remote regions across the country, from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island.
Many varieties of fiddleheads are picked around the world for consumption, but the one we eat most in Canada is the ostrich fern. Although many ferns produce fiddleheads, some can be toxic and inedible, and foragers must know which ones to pick.
Keep in mind that the season is short - it can last from two to four weeks, ending with the heat of early June.
Fiddleheads star in this creamy risotto dish, supported by another seasonal treat - wild leeks, or ramps. (Charla Jones/The Globe and Mail)
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When selecting fiddleheads, look for a tight, dark-green spiral and only an inch or less of stem.
There are three key steps to perform when preparing fiddleheads for your favourite recipe. First, cut off the yellow part of the stem, as it is usually dry and woody. Then soak the fiddleheads in cold water and wash them thoroughly a few times with fresh water. Finally, boil them in salted water for a few minutes until tender. To keep them green, strain and plunge into icy water immediately after boiling.
Wild leeks - also called wild garlic or ramps - are native to North America. They taste like the strong garlic chives found in Asian markets, and look similar to scallions, but with broad green leaves.
Many people come to the door of my restaurant at this time of year with bundles of ramps for sale. We use as many as possible for the few weeks they are available.
Cooking with ramps is simple. Wash them well to remove residual dirt, and separate the white bulb from the green leaf. Cook the bulb whole or chopped as if it were an onion. The green, leafy part can be added to sautéed vegetables or soups.
At Mistura, we make sure to have these tasty treats available at all times during the season. We offer them as side dishes and incorporate them into appetizers, pasta dishes, risotto and main courses.
My approach (I always think like a chef) is to pick the best possible product, then allow the flavour to flourish by using it simply and not masking its natural characteristics. My favourite way to use these springtime vegetables is to make fiddleheads in a risotto, along with ramps for an extra kick of flavour.
Fiddlehead ramp risotto
What you need
½ cup ramps, finely chopped
8 ounces (225 grams) roasted bacon or pancetta, sliced and cut into 1.25-centimetre pieces
2 cups parboiled fiddleheads, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
2 ounces (50 grams) butter
18 ounces (500 grams) carnaroli rice
1 glass white wine
6 cups good-quality chicken stock
2 ounces (50 grams) grated parmigiano cheese
What you do
In a heavy-bottomed pot, sauté the ramps, bacon and fiddleheads in the oil and a little butter for a few minutes.
Add the rice and heat up for a minute, stirring gently to prevent burning. Add the wine and let it evaporate well before adding two ladlefuls of stock.
Simmer gently, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. As the stock is absorbed, add more.
It will take about 18 minutes for the rice to cook, so with your timer in sight, add stock as required until ready. The risotto should be runny but not liquidy.
When cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the rest of the butter and the cheese.
Serves 5 or more.
Massimo Capra is chef and co-owner of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge in Toronto, and guest chef on the show Restaurant Makeover.
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Beppi's wine matches
Fiddleheads - the curled shoots of a fern - are versatile, interesting to look at and easy to prepare.
My approach (I always think like a chef) is to pick the best possible product, then allow the flavour to flourish by using it simply and not masking its natural characteristics.
Fiddleheads play the melody, but bacon and chicken stock rumble in with rich bass notes in this deftly balanced rice dish. Look for crisp yet flavourful whites, such as almost any moderately expensive brand of Soave, Lugana or Gavi, three styles from northern Italy.
From risotto country itself (the northern Veneto region), there's Pieropan Soave Classico (about $16) and Anselmi San Vincenzo (about $17). Other good white options include crisp, lightly oaked chardonnay and pinot gris.
If you prefer red, consider a dolcetto or dolcetto-based blend from northern Italy, like Batasiolo Langhe Rosso (about $16), or a crisp cabernet franc, especially one labelled under any of the three main cabernet franc districts of France's Loire Valley: Chinon, Bourgueil or Saumur-Champigny.
Beppi Crosariol
