3335. FIDDLEHEAD FERNS with BACON, MORELS and SUMMER CORN

1/2 lb. fiddlehead ferns, cleaned
6 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 lb. morels, cleaned
2/3 cup fresh corn kernels

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a pot of boiling water, blanch the fiddlehead ferns for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the fiddleheads into a large bowl filled with ice water to cool.

In a large cast-iron pan, brown the diced bacon on medium-high heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Reserve the drippings in the pan.

Add the butter to the drippings. Continuing on medium-high heat, add the morels. Cook until the mushrooms begin to caramelize in the hot fat, about 4 minutes. Add the corn kernels and continue cooking until the corn begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the fiddlehead ferns to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. When the fiddleheads have come up to temperature, add the bacon back into the pan and toss to combine.

Serve hot as a side dish to grilled steaks, chicken or ribs.


bacon recipe source: Lorna Yee, Seattle Magazine, April 28, 2011

2574. FIDDLEHEAD FERNS with BACON, ONIONS and GARLIC

1/2 pound of fiddlehead ferns
1/2 pound of bacon
1 small or medium onion
1-3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of dry white cooking wine
2-3 tablespoons butter
Salt and Pepper

Rinse and re-rinse your fiddleheads to get all the dirt off of them, you can also brush them gently to loosen any clingy dirt. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and then boil the fiddleheads for about 3-4 minutes. Immediately, drain the water and place the fiddleheads into an ice bath to retain some of the color. After they’ve cooled, allow them to dry. While the fiddleheads are boiling, you can slice the bacon into bite-sized squares. Saute the bacon to desired crispiness. Slice the onion and garlic. Plop about 1 tbsp of butter into another pan for the fiddleheads. Saute the fiddleheads on medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic and keep sauteing. Once the garlic is just beginning to brown, add the white wine. Stir constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed. After the bacon is done cooking, set it aside. Remove most of the bacon fat from the pan and use the remaining grease to saute the onions on high until slightly browned. Once most of the white wine is absorbed and before the fiddleheads get mushy, kill the burner and plate the greens. Top with bacon. Top with onion. Add salt and pepper to taste.


bacon recipe courtesy of: John Sifferman, Physical Living

2192. HERBED NEW POTATOES with FIDDLEHEADS and BACON

serves four


12 small new potatoes with skins on, washed
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
24 fiddleheads, cleaned and trimmed
6 slices bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh savory
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Boil the potatoes in salted water for 5 minutes, then add the fiddleheads and cook about 15 minutes or until both are crisp-tender. Drain and transfer to a warm bowl.

Meanwhile, sauté the bacon in a medium skillet until crisp. Drain it on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of fat. Sauté the garlic in the fat until soft.

Add the bacon, garlic, and herbs to the cooked potatoes and fiddleheads; toss well. Serve hot or at room temperature.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Pat Crocker, Hanover, Ontario, Canada | "The Queen of Spring: Fiddlehead," Herb Companion Magazine, April/May 2000

2141. FIDDLEHEAD FERN and BACON SAUTE

makes four side dishes


1 pound fiddlehead ferns
2 tablespoons olive oil
butter (optional)
2 cloves finely chopped garlic (optional)
¼ cup bacon, cut into ¼ inch cubes (optional)
Kosher or sea salt and ground black pepper

Trim the dark ends from the stems and wash the fiddleheads in a coarse strainer using a strong stream of water. Place them in a large bowl of water and swirl them around, rubbing off the thin flakes of chaff on the ferns. Drain and dry in a kitchen towel, rubbing off any remaining chaff.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium – high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring until lightly browned. Add ferns and garlic and cook, covered, for 3 – 4 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 3 – 4 minutes or until they are tender but still are slightly crunchy. Add salt and pepper to taste and swirl in some butter if you wish. Serve immediately. If you make extra, they make an interesting addition to a mixed salad or soups and stews. Because they are fully cooked, add them at the last minute to hot dishes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Charlie Burke, Weather Hill Farm, Sanbornton, New Hampshire | Food Writer for The Heart of New England

2095. FIDDLEHEAD FERN, BACON and SWISS CHEESE QUICHE

serves 6-8


Crust:
non-sweet pie crust or a homemade crust

Filling:
6 slices bacon, crisped
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced scallion or onion
salt, pepper
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 pint fiddlehead ferns

Cook crust according to directions. Combine eggs, milk and cream in a bowl. Add scallion and seasonings. Sprinkle half the cheese in the bottom of the shell, lay bacon and pour egg mixture over. Sprinkle rest of Swiss cheese, arrange Ferns on top and grate nutmeg over top. Bake at 375º for 30-40 minutes until set. Cool slightly and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Forest Mushrooms, Inc., 14715 County Road 51, Saint Joseph, Minnesota 56374

2010. VEAL with BACON, FIDDLEHEAD and SHIITAKE SAUCE

serves four


4 slices bacon
4 small veal cutlets
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sherry
8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 cup fiddleheads, trimmed and cleaned

Cut bacon across into small pieces. Cook in a skillet until brown. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Season the veal cutlets with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Sauté veal in skillet with bacon fat until browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove veal from pan. Cover and keep warm. Melt the butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Add the sherry and deglaze the pan. Add the shiitakes, fiddleheads and reserved bacon, and cook for 5 minutes. Divide the veal among 4 plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve immediately.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef de Cuisine.com

1634. FIDDLEHEAD FERNS with BACON, BROWNED GARLIC and ONION, and WHITE WINE REDUCTION

1/2 pound fiddlehead ferns
12 oz. applewood smoked bacon
1 medium onion
1 large clove garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
butter
salt and pepper

Start by preparing the ferns in a 3-4 minute roiling boil blanch followed by a cold water bath. Cut up the bacon into 1 inch pieces and cook over medium heat.

Once the bacon is getting nice and crispy and is about five minutes from finishing, saute the ferns in a large tablespoon of butter in another pan over medium-high heat. Once the bacon’s done and the ferns have been cooking for three minutes, toss in another dollop of butter and add the garlic (chopped). At this point, remove the bacon, pour out about 2/3 of the rendered fat into a container for later use, and then toss the chopped onion in the rest of the bacon fat over high heat.

Watch this carefully, as the onions will burn quickly. Keep stirring the onions while watching the ferns and garlic. When the garlic is starting to brown, pour in the wine and let it reduce. The onions should be done by now so go ahead and take them out before they burn. As the wine reduces, you may want to add a bit more butter as a thickener.

Plate the ferns and top with salt, pepper, bacon, and onions. It’s a pretty filling dish by itself, or you could serve it alongside a piece of grilled meat, like a lamb leg steak.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mark Sisson, Mark's Daily Apple