Another new ingredient that I discovered this Spring was fiddleheads. Fiddleheads are young fiddlehead ferns that have yet to unfurl they leaves and they are only available for a short period of time during the Spring. I first saw them at the farmers market and later I was a bit surprised to also find them at a few main stream grocery stores. Of course, I picked some up right away to try. While looking around for recipes I kept coming across the suggestion to boil them for at least three minutes before cooking them over safety concerns for toxins.
The first thing that I did with the fiddleheads was a simple saute (after boiling them for 3 minutes) in some olive oil with some chopped up ramps and a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. I really enjoyed the sauteed fiddleheads and I would imagine that sauteing them in butter would also be excellent. A sprinkling of parmigiano reggiano might also be a nice addition.
Now that I had experienced the fiddleheads I was looking for a recipe to use them in. While I was thinking about them I was thinking about spirals and then shrimp popped into my head. I was also thinking about wanting to use the preserved lemons that I had made in a new dish. I decided to combine all of the ideas and make a shrimp scampi with fiddleheads and preserved lemons. Fiddleheads in a pasta with a buttery lemon sauce with shrimp sounded good. I also thought that replacing the garlic in the shrimp scampi with the in season ramps would be a nice touch. It is hard to go wrong with shrimp scampi and this Spring version with fiddleheads, wild leeks and preserved lemons also turned out great! The fiddleheads worked well in the scrimp scampi and they were really nice in the buttery lemon sauce with a background of wild leeks. The preserved lemons also worked well in the scampi kicking up the lemon flavour and adding a new texture. What a great way to enjoy the fiddleheads! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them again next year!
Fiddlehead Shrimp Scampi
ingredients
- 1/2 pound fiddleheads (trimmed and well cleaned)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 wild leeks/ramps (chopped, or garlic)
- 1/4 preserved lemon peel (chopped)
- 1/2 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined)
- 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- 1/2 pound linguine (cooked) (gluten free for gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped, optional)
- parmigiano reggiano to taste (grated, optional)
directions
- Cook the fiddleheads in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and set aside.
- Heat the oil and melt the butter in a pan.
- Add the chili flakes, wild leeks and preserved lemons and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the fiddleheads and shrimp and saute until the fiddle heads are bright green and the shrimp is cooked, about 1-3 minutes per side and set aside.
- Add the wine and lemon juice and deglaze the pan.
- Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the fiddleheads, shrimp, pasta and parsley and toss to coat.
Shrimp Scampi
Garlic Scape Scampi
Shrimp Carbonara
Fiddlehead Carbonara
Fiddlehead Tart
Those make for some very lovely photos! I would love to try those.
Kevin,
Once again a mouthwatering dish, well done.
I don’t think we can get fiddleheads here in Australia, but will keep an eye open for them.
Take Care,
Jo
We used to have fiddlehead salad when I was young.
I love the scampi idea with the preserved lemons!
Kevin, you certainly know the way to this girl's heart. What a perfect dish! I love fiddleheads but never thought to pair them with shrimp & pasta. I love it! Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Night.
I just in the last few weeks shared my fiddleheads on my blog..I never thought of this! Prefect marriage I think..and beautiful..I think the added touch of preserved lemons must be a fresh and sparkling bonus.I love them and always have them in the fridge now:)
Great ideas!
What a wonderful idea! Really a great way to introduce these little green beauties to folks who have not had the pleasure of experiencing them. They give the scampi an extra burst of color too.
Glad I stumbled upon your site. What camera are you shooting with? I just hopped onto the DSLR bandwagon and am having a blast experimenting!
I am heading to the FM tomorrow and I will be looking for these little works of art. Look great with shrimp. What’s the deal with the toxins? Deer poop. When I think of ferns I think of the forest and those hillbilly caviar everywhere that my dog loves to eat!
This looks beautiful! Definitely a fun new take on an old classic.
Delicious! The presentation works really well too – the fiddleheads are curled just like the cooked shrimp 🙂
I’ve never tried fiddlehead, but I’ve seen it around so much lately, that I feel I should! This dish with shrimp looks delicious and the preserved lemon peel is a good call!
I love the shapes of the shrimp and fiddle heads together!
I’ve never had fiddleheads, but they look and sound great!
That looks so great, Kevin! I’ve always wanted to try fiddleheads, but we never get them down here. 🙁
Sensational looking photo and recipe. keep ’em coming.
Excellent idea to use fiddleheads in Shrimp Scampi! I make shrimp scampi with asparagus and fiddleheads are definitely similar so that would work great. I also discovered fiddleheads this spring and liked them.
Beautiful! I’d love to try fiddleheads…
Cheers,
Rosa
I love fiddleheads. Looks beautiful, Kevin! A nice combination.
I’ve always been curious to try scampi. The pasta looks beautiful – such pretty spring colours.
Yum! I always read your blog but had to comment on this one. Fiddleheads are the ingredient du jour and the picture is great.
This is a beautiful dish. How did the fiddleheads taste? I have not tried them before and they sound interesting.
Looks absolutely delicious. I’ve never had fiddleheads before, but your dish is making me want to try them 🙂
We love fiddleheads! Welcome to the club!
You are talking my Pacific Northwest language. I adore fiddleheads. Great recipe!
You always come up with such creative dishes, this one is no exception! Looks delicious!
Laura: I am using a Canon XSi (450D) that I picked up just under a year ago. I agree, learning how to use the dslr camera certainly has been fun!
Phoo-D: The fiddleheads had a mild flavour that I found similar to asparagus.
I am in love with those little fiddleheads! I didn’t know you could eat them…and what a beautiful picture. Thanks so much for the post!
i’ve been seeing fiddleheads pop up in recipes all of a sudden and i’m so curious! i’ve yet to see them here in orlando stores though.
this recipe looks like a beautiful use for them 🙂
Thanks for the beautiful pictures and inspiring recipe. I have always wanted to make something with fiddleheads but I never know what. Now I can rush over to the farmers market and pick some up.
Jen
Boda weight loss Blog
That picture is gorgeous. We should start getting fiddleheads at the farmers’ market and I can’t wait to buy some.
Kevin,
Hey Sweetie!
I just found your blog through Veggie Girl’s blogroll. I’m so glad I did! Closet Cooking is totally going in my reader from now on! I’m just starting to work on my food photography and your posts are great inspiration. Fiddleheads are beautiful!
Have a wonderful weekend!
With Love,
Emily
Love your food styling Kevin. The curled fiddleheads and shrimp, brilliant.
LL
don’t hate me Kevin, but fiddleheads aren’t for me. but I have to say you really made them look very enticing in this photo. I still drool over that shrimp scampi pizza you made you know…
Gorgeous, Kevin – those fiddleheads not only look marvelous in contrast to that lovely pink shrimp, but I’ll bet they tasted fabulous there too.
The preserved lemon idea is one of your best yet. YUM.
how interesting, i have never heard of fiddleheads before!
Fiddleheads is new to me but it sounds so interesting paired with shrimps and pasta.
I don’t know if you planned it this way, but I have to say that I love the symmetry of the curvy shrimp against the spiral-like fiddlehead ferns. They look lovely together.
I’ve never had fiddleheads but have been wanting to try them – they look delicious with your scampi.
How colors in your dish. I love shrimp! It’s my favorite food when it’s cooked properly. My mouth is watering…
Wonderful! Inventive mouthwatering dish.
turly lovely photos.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
And you can visit me if I can visit you:)
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Kevin, this is an inspired dish! So spring-like and the flavours are vibrant and fresh!
Fiddleheads are one of those ingredients that I am yet to try but I’m dying to. Looks great!
I’ve just recently heard of fiddleheads – looks yummy!
I’m so lucky to have fiddleheads growing on my property — they’re mostly past now, but we enjoyed them for a couple of weeks earlier this month. I love the symmetry of the curled fiddleheads and the shrimp — beautiful in your photographs.
I’ve never heard of fiddleheads!! How interesting, I’ll have to look for them in the grocery store.
I’m salivating, Kevin! It’s almost midnight here, and I’m hungry!
Next time, try grilling your fiddleheads (dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper). You’ll love them.
helen: Grilled fiddleheads sound good! I will have to try that next time.
Shrimp scampi is the best. I have never heard of fiddleheads before but they look delicious. I probably would have trouble finding them where I live unfortunately.
Obrigada por visit ar minha página.
Apareça quando quiser, Kevin.
Isso aqui tbm parece delicioso.
Fiddleheads are so different and pretty!
It looks so delicious and I love shrimp.
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What a great recipe Kevin! I like the swirling shrimp with the swirly fiddleheads!
So cute how the shrimp and fiddlehead have the same shape.
Great looking dish.
I would love to visit your farmer's market!!
ooh! gorgeous! i was thinking about getting some fiddleheads, but i was skeptical… maybe next year 🙂
Fiddleheads are one item I have yet to try but they’ve always intrigued me.
Love the combination of shrimp and fiddleheads. The curls are nearly the same
Kevin, awesome colours in this dish…a great Spring offering.
Bravo! Replacing the garlic with ramps and using the Fiddleheads. This is a winner. And I ahve "fresh-frozen" shrimp waiting in my freezer. (Can't resist the sarcasm of that sign).
Wow! That looks really interesting. I've never heard of fiddleheads before.
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Kevin-did you see the fiddleheads that I and Natasha made? I wish I had shrimp. In fact, I intended the dish to have shrimp but only later in the evening did I relaize that I did not buy them-yikes.
I'm drooling, no joke! Those shrimp are huge! The whole dish is awesome.
Absolutely gorgeous!
If only we could get fiddleheads in Florida. I LOVE them. They are also very good in quiche and I make an excellent warm Fiddlehead and Bacon salad.
Thanks Kevin!!!
Where would one find fiddleheads 🙂 ? Would love to try this…
Claudia: Fiddleheads are only in season for a brief time in spring and I normally find them at farmers markets though occasionally they will make their way to main stream grocery stores. I have not tried 'hunting' for them myself in the wild.
just tried this dish, added some toasted pine nuts–so delicious!