Fiddleheads have a nutty flavour that works beautifully with pasta and Asian stir-fries as well as making them good side dishes for fish and chicken.
Fiddleheads must be rinsed in about 4 changes of water to remove any brown skin or dirt. Cut off the stem so that the fiddlehead is completely round.
Wash well and then blanch in boiling water for about 2 to 3 minutes. They are then ready to incorporate in most recipes. If fiddleheads are unavailable, use 1 pound (500 grams) asparagus cut into pieces.
The stir-fried greens can be mixed with pasta for a first course or served alone as a side dish.
Servings: Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course.
Ingredients
4 ounces (125 grams) dried penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups fiddleheads, trimmed, washed and blanched
¼ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1½ teaspoons minced anchovies
½ teaspoon chili flakes (or to taste)
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese
Method
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add penne and boil for 9 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in skillet and add fiddleheads, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, chili flakes and garlic. Toss everything together for 2 to 3 minutes or until fiddleheads are crisp-tender and have lots of flavour.
Add penne to pan and toss to combine. If mixture is too dry, add 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water and a little extra olive oil, if desired.
Sprinkle with grated Pecorino cheese.
Lucy Waverman