Fiddlehead Dip Recipes

SAUTEED FIDDLEHEAD FERNS

Steps:

• Remove the dry, sheathlike papery particles from the fiddleheads. Fill a medium bowl with cool water; add 1 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice. Add ferns, and push them down into the water several times to clean them. Transfer to paper towel to drain.
• On a steamer rack set over an inch of water in a saucepan, steam fiddleheads, covered, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add fiddleheads, and cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

FIDDLEHEAD DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter 2 oven-proof crock bowls.
• Pulse fiddleheads and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Mix Swiss and Parmesan cheeses together. Mix fiddlehead mixture and mayonnaise together in a bowl and fold in most of the cheese, reserving some for topping. Divide dip between the prepared crocks and top with remaining cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 20 minutes.

FIDDLEHEAD FERNS

Steps:

• Before you're ready to cook cut about 1/8-inch off the thick ends if they look brown and rinse the fern shoots thoroughly to get rid of the brown fuzzy chaff that clings to their sides. Dry the shoots thoroughly before cooking by first spinning them in a lettuce spinner and then patting them with paper towels. Melt butter in a pan at medium heat. Add garlic, parsley and fiddleheads to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 5 minutes or until they are done.

FIDDLEHEAD FERN DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Add the garlic clove to the bowl of a food processor and mince.
• Add the fiddleheads, pulse to mince.
• Add the mayonnaise and pulse just to mix.
• Scrape the mixture into a medium sized bowl and fold in the cheeses.
• Lightly oil three one-cup crocks and divided the mixture evenly between the crocks.
• Bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is lightly browned.
• Sprinkle with chopped tomato and onion.
• Serve warm with crackers or bread.

FIDDLEHEAD BREADSTICKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large bowl. Add dough to bowl; cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours (or according to package instructions).
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Cut dough into 25 strips (1/2 inch thick each), keeping them covered with plastic wrap as you work to prevent them from drying out. Using your hands, roll into thin rods (15 to 18 inches long each).
• Transfer rods to parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll 3 to 4 inches of one end of each rod into a loose spiral.
• Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush each breadstick with egg mixture; sprinkle half of the breadsticks with sesame seeds and the other half with poppy seeds.
• Bake breadsticks until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

DEEP FRY THOSE FIDDLEHEAD FERNS

Steps:

• Wash and clean all brown spots off ferns. Trim stems.
• Blanch by putting them in boiling water for 2 minutes then into ice water to stop the cooking.
• Mix flour, salt and baking powder in small bowl.
• Stir in oil and milk.
• Beat to a smooth, creamy consistancy but do not overbeat.
• Heat 1/2 cup oil in small skillet over high heat.
• Dip fiddleheads in batter, then inot hot fat.
• Turn over until golden brown on both sides.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Serve hot.