Creamy risotto meets earthy fiddleheads and savory garlic in this Garlicky Fiddlehead Risotto recipe that’s perfect for spring.
Years ago, when my son Will was very small and Paige wasn’t yet born, I discovered fiddlehead greens in our Connecticut grocery store and had to try them. I’d never seen anything like them before — they were like little wound ferns. We enjoyed them with dinner one night, eaten al fresco with something fresh from the grill.
The flavor and texture reminded me slightly of asparagus, but earthier.
That was 2006. I remember seeing them in some seasons after — they were as fleeting as rhubarb — but didn’t have them again. Fast forward to 2014 when we moved to Maine and I joined the Bangor Daily News as features editor. That’s when I learned that while fiddleheads were a novelty in southern New England, they were practically a religion in northern New England.
Ok, maybe I am exaggerating a little. But only a little.
Fiddlehead greens grow wild in Maine and come into season as the spring warms and summer reckons. One writer I edited once called them iconic for the way they usher in the changing season.
Tightly coiled Ostrich ferns are foraged during their short season in the spring for personal use and sales. People have sacred spots they go to and practices for removing the papery outer layer for selling them. Maine grocery stores sell them, but so do roadside stands and farmers markets.
Fiddleheads need to be cleaned, trimmed and cooked properly. It’s essential. Before even tasting them, steam for 10-12 minutes or boil for at least 15 minutes. This is not a vegetable to eat raw.
In this Garlicky Fiddlehead Risotto recipe, you start by sautéing shallots. Then the arborio rice is added and slowly cooked with small additions of wine and chicken stock. The slow and steady cooking process renders the rice creamy without ever having to add cream. Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper are swirled in for flavor. Fiddlehead greens sauteed with garlic finish the dish.
If you can’t locate fiddlehead greens where you are, I’d suggest trying a different risotto recipe. Also good for spring: Garlic Scape Risotto, Roasted Spring Vegetable Herbed Risotto and English Pea Risotto.
Garlicky Fiddlehead Risotto
Creamy risotto meets earthy fiddleheads and savory garlic in this Garlicky Fiddlehead Risotto recipe that's perfect for spring.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fiddlehead greens, trimmed and washed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp, divided
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth, warmed
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the fiddleheads and boil for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a heavy stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallots and saute until softened and lightly golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the arborio rice and toast, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Stir in the white wine and allow to cook until fully absorbed. Add the chicken stock or broth, one ladle at a time, stirring well and allowing it to completely absorb before adding more. Continue until all the stock or broth has been used.
- Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute -- until softened. Add the drained fiddleheads and toss well to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until warm and fragrant.
- Stir the fiddleheads into the risotto. Adjust seasonings as desired. Enjoy.