Lightly steaming fiddlehead ferns lets them keep just a bit of crispness while also bringing out their fresh, grassy flavor. This is a time to use high-quality, fresh butter, since it has its own clean, spring flavor to compliment the fiddleheads.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fiddlehead ferns
- Butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
- Trim and rinse fiddleheads, removing any brown ends or mushy parts.
- In a large pot, bring 1 inch water to a boil. Put fiddleheads in a steamer basket or insert and place above boiling water. Cover and cook until fiddleheads are tender but still faintly crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Drain and serve hot with butter, salt, and pepper to taste.
Makes 4 servings.
