Delight in the unique flavors of spring with this exquisite Lemon Fiddlehead Fern Pasta brought to you by Stirfryable from their YouTube cooking channel. This dish is a celebration of seasonal produce, highlighting the delicate taste of fiddlehead ferns, paired with the brightness of fresh lemon and the richness of Parmesan cheese. It's a perfect meal to impress your guests with something out of the ordinary!
Ingredients:
- Fresh fiddlehead ferns, 1 cup (cleaned and trimmed)
- Your favorite pasta, 8 oz
- Lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons
- Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup (grated)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Reserved pasta water, 1 cup (to emulsify the sauce)
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Equipment: Large pot, sauté pan, colander, mixing bowl
Instructions:
1. Fill a large pot with water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Cook your chosen pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the fiddlehead ferns. Ensure they are cleaned of all the brown papery husk and trimmed at the ends. Rinse them thoroughly.
3. Using the same pot, boil the fiddlehead ferns for about 10 minutes to remove any bitterness and potential toxins, then drain and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
4. In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the blanched fiddlehead ferns and sauté for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned and tender.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the ferns and toss to combine, over low heat.
6. Gradulate the lemon juice, stirring constantly. Then, slowly add the reserved pasta water until you get a creamy consistency. Adjust the amount of water as needed.
7. Turn the heat off, stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and evenly combined with the pasta. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and toss the pasta one last time.
8. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve the pasta hot, garnished with a bit more Parmesan cheese and a lemon wedge on the side if desired.
Cooking Tips:
- Fiddlehead ferns should be cooked thoroughly to remove any bitterness and potential toxins.
- Reserve pasta water to help emulsify and thicken the sauce, resulting in a beautifully creamy texture.
Attribution:
Recipe adapted from Stirfryable. Check out their YouTube channel for more amazing recipes: https://www.youtube.com/@stirfryable284
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