Pacific Coast Salmon And Wild Ramps With A Morel Crawfish And Fiddlehead Fern Ragout Recipes

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.

FRESH FAVA BEANS AND WILD MOREL RAGOUT WITH LAKE SUPERIOR WHITEFISH

Steps:

• Shell the fava beans from the large long pods in which they are encased. This will reveal the beans in their thin skin from which they must also be removed. Do this by bringing a pot of water to a boil, add the beans to the pot and blanchcook for 2 to 3 minutes before straining the favas and shocking in an ice bath of cold water. The thin skin can now be peeled entirely off by hand to reveal the sweet fava bean. It is now ready to be added to any dish and only requires a few moments of additional cooking time.
• Clean the morels carefully and trim off the bottom of the stem. Remove all dirt and debris by soaking them in several changes of clean cold water. Next, lay the morels out on paper towels to absorb the excess moisture and air dry. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• In a saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the morels and saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallots and cook for 3 additional minutes. Add the fish stock and braise the morels for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the fava beans and white wine to the morels and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and add the fresh thyme leaves. Swirl in the cold butter to allow the butter, which adds a creamy texture to the dish, to melt but not separate. Remove promptly from the heat and place the morels and fava beans on a warm serving platter. While the morels and fava beans are cooking begin to cook the whitefish by seasoning the fish with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining olive oil in a second saute pan. Add the fish fillets to the hot oil, skin side down and cook the fillets 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side, before removing and placing on the serving platter with the morels and favas.

FIDDLEHEAD FERNS

Steps:

• Clean the fiddleheads by snipping off the tough 1/8-inch at the bottom and any stray coarse tips visible. Wash the ferns in cold water. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil and add a teaspoon salt. Add the fiddleheads to the boiling water, return to the boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or just until tender. Drain the boiling water and refresh the ferns in ice water. Drain and pat dry the ferns.
• In a large saute pan, heat the butter over medium heat. As the butter begins to bubble, add the dry, blanched fiddleheads and saute for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.