Best Fiddlehead Fern Soup Recipes

FIDDLEHEAD FERN SOUP

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Add the fiddleheads, return to a boil and cook until they are almost tender and turn pale green, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Coarsely chop and reserve.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the fiddleheads and chicken stock.
• Stir, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil.
• Cover and cook until the fiddleheads are thoroughly tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the milk, reduce the heat to medium, and heat until nearly boiling.
• Do not let the soup boil or the milk will curdle.
• Stir in the lemon zest and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the soup into four bowls, garnish with paprika and serve immediately.

CREAM OF FIDDLEHEAD SOUP

Steps:

• In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat; cook leeks, covered, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes or until softened but not brown.
• Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Gradually stir in stock; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring constantly.
• Add fiddleheads and bring back to boil; reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until fiddleheads are tender.
• Set aside 6 fiddleheads for garnish.
• Puree soup in batches in blender or food processor.
• (Recipe can be prepared ahead to this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Return puree to saucepan; whisk in cream.
• Reheat for 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring often; don’t boil.
• Stir in lemon juice, salt to taste, white pepper and cayenne.
• Garnish each serving with sour cream and fiddlehead.
• Makes 6 servings.
• Canadian Living.

"CREAMY" FIDDLEHEAD SOUP

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottom saucepan, sauté onion in butter or oil until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, fiddleheads, bay leaf, and enough chicken stock to make the vegetables just swim.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and barely simmer, partially covered, for one hour. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Remove bay leaf.
• In a blender, process mixture in batches. (Can be prepared to this point a day or two ahead of time. Cool, cover and refrigerate.).
• Return mixture to saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add milk, a little at a time, until it reaches the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in heated soup bowls, garnish as desired.

FIDDLEHEAD FERNS

Steps:

• Before you're ready to cook cut about 1/8-inch off the thick ends if they look brown and rinse the fern shoots thoroughly to get rid of the brown fuzzy chaff that clings to their sides. Dry the shoots thoroughly before cooking by first spinning them in a lettuce spinner and then patting them with paper towels. Melt butter in a pan at medium heat. Add garlic, parsley and fiddleheads to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 5 minutes or until they are done.