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Fiddlehead and Morel Mushroom Risotto

Fiddlehead and Morel Mushroom Risotto is a traditional American recipe for a classic dish of blanched fiddlehead ferns and morel mushrooms cooked with risotto rice in vegetable stock and vermouth until creamy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic American version of: Fiddlehead and Morel Mushroom Risotto.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

45 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian RecipesUSA Recipes

Fiddleheads are the young shoots of fern plants and are considered a delicacy in New England, Canada and Japan. They are actually the young fronds of ferns that have not unfurled to open as yet. Typically they are foraged in the wild during the two week period from their first appearance and before they begin to open. The name itself refers to the shape of the curled fronds, which look very similar to the scroll at the end of a violin (of fiddle) neck. Commercial fiddleheads are typically Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, whereas wild-foraged fiddleheads tend to be Royal fern, Osmunda regalis. Common bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) fiddleheads are also consumed, particularly in Japan, but I would not recommend eating these, as they are rich in the putative carcinogen, ptaquiloside (most particularly in the young shoots) and this has been implicated in the higher incidence of gastric and oesophogaeal cancers in Japan. If you are picking fiddleheads, make certain that the scrolls are tightly curled and cut then within about 5cm of the stem beyond the scroll. Use your hands to remove the brown papery chaff encasing the head then wash in several changes of water to remove any dirt and debris. They are best consumed quickly after picking, but can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, pickled or blanched and frozen for later use.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp unsalted butter
120g small, tightly-curled fiddleheads, cleaned, thoroughly rinsed and dried (Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, or Royal fern, Osmunda regalis, for preference)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
250g fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned thoroughly, and dried
1 small shallot, finely minced
1l vegetable stock
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
210g risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)
90ml vermouth or dry white wine
leaves from 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 tbsp freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
shavings of Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Method:

Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the fiddleheads and blanch for 1 minute then drain. Rinse in cold water then drain again and set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a medium frying pan, add the fiddleheads and cook for about 8 minutes, or until just wilted. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then take off the heat and set aside.

In a heavy-based saucepan, melt another tablespoon of the butter. Add the morels and shallot and fry, stirring frequently, until the shallot is soft and translucent (about 6 minutes). Add 60ml of the vegetable stock at this point, bring to a simmer and continue cooking until the pan is almost dry. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then take off the heat and set aside to keep warm.

Add 1 tbsp of the olive oil to another heavy-bottomed pan and when hot add the red onion and garlic. Fry for about 6 minute, or until soft and translucent then take off the heat and add the rice. Stir for about 1 minute to coat the rice grains in the oil then place over medium heat, add the wine and continue cooking until the liquid has been absorbed.

Add 160ml of the vegetable stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the majority of the liquid has been absorbed. Now add the remaining stock 60ml at a time, stirring thoroughly and cooking until the rice is cooked through, but remains al dente when bitten.

At this point fold in the fiddleheads, along with the remaining butter, the thyme leaves and the grated Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning to taste and divide the mixture between six warmed bowls. Top with the morel and shallot mix and serve garnished with the Parmesan cheese shavings.