Fiddlehead Pasta with Beurre Blanc

Fiddlehead Pasta with Beurre Blanc, a photo by kel h on Flickr.

this is the second time I've gotten fiddleheads in the CSA farmshare. They're interesting, with a mild, fresh, green taste and interesting texture. The important thing seems to be choosing something that doesn't overwhelm the flavor, which is why I chose Beurre Blanc sauce and angel hair pasta. If I had frozen peas I would have added some of those too. Could also work with a mild protien like shrimp.

Ingredients:
1 bag fiddleheads
1 box angelhair pasta
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon
1 small shallot grated
2-3 garlic cloves grated
handful parsley chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

Boil a pot of water

soak and gently rub fiddleheads with paper towel and cut off ends as needed

drop fiddleheads in for 3-5 min until "tender crisp", then put in cold water bath to keep from over cooking

add salt to water and boil pasta per instructions

zest lemon and set aside

in saucepan heat up wine, juice from lemon, shallot and garlic. simmer until sauce reduces by half.

add two sticks of butter and zest a tablespoon at a time.

once sauce thickens, add parsley, salt and pepper to taste and toss with pasta and fiddleheads

Fiddlehead Mushroom Pea Risotto

Fiddlehead Mushroom Pea Risotto, a photo by kel h on Flickr.

we got Fiddleheads in the farmshare today, which are a springtime treat in new england and the maritimes. They are the unopen fronds of a fern, and taste a bit like asparagus. Apparently they are quite popular in quiche (says my boyfriend from Maine). I consulted my go-to cookbook for all things farmshare, Vegetable Love, and found this risotto recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 shallot minced
1 onion minced
1 pt mushrooms roughly chopped (recipe called for chanterelle, but i used oyster)
3/4 c chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 c olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
5-6 cups veggie stock
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups trimmed fiddleheads (could sub chopped asparagus)
1 cup grated swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

sautee the shallots and onion in melted butter. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 min. Add tarragon for 8 min. add oil and rice and cook at medium until rice absorbs the oil

add the wine and stir until evaporated

add broth a cup at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next cup. After four cups add the peas and fiddleheads. Add more stock as needed until rice is at desired consistency. Stir in grated cheese gradually. Salt and pepper to taste