Fiddlehead Soup Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook the fiddleheads, mushrooms, leeks and onions in butter until the onions are tender, about 4 minutes. , Stir in the flour, salt and cayenne. Gradually add the milk and broth, stirring until blended. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 10 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until heated through. Stir in lemon juice.

Steps:

• Trim the fiddleheads and wash by rinsing in a sink of cold water up to 4 times. Drain. Cook in a pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into a basin of ice-water to set the color and stop the cooking. Drain, and set aside.
• Heat the chicken stock with the saffron to boiling. Turn off the heat. In a bowl, beat together the yolks and lemon juice. Whisk a ladleful of the hot stock over the yolk mixture. Add another. Then whisk the egg mixture back into the stock. Stir in the cream. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the fiddleheads and gently reheat, without boiling. Serve. Cook's Note: If it boils, it will curdle.

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.

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.

Steps:

• 1. Wash and trim fiddleheads, or thaw, if using frozen.
• 2. Melt the butter in a three quart saucepan. Add onion and saute until soft. Stir in flour - blend well.
• 3. Add broth and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• 4. Add the fiddleheads and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
• 5. Puree in small batches in a blender. Return puree to pan. Stir in cream. Reheat gently over low heat.
• 6. Garnish with dill or chives before serving.