HappyCook80's Recipe

Fiddlehead Risotto

Category: Recipes

Fiddlehead Risotto

2 cups fiddleheads, cleaned and trimmed
3 to 4 cups chicken broth, sodium-reduced recommended
2 tbsps. butter
1 shallot or small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small carrot, diced
2 tsps. finely grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tsps. chopped fresh thyme
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Pull off any papery bits sticking to fiddleheads. Trim ends; immerse in boiling water until bright green but still crisp tender, about 1 minute. Plunge into ice water; chill briefly until cold. Drain, pat dry and reserve.

Heat chicken broth until steaming hot and keep warm over low heat. In a medium shallow saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stirring often, fry shallot, garlic, carrot, lemon rind, pepper and thyme until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat.

Stir in 1/2 cup of hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat with wine. Keep adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until each addition is absorbed before adding next, about 20 minutes in all.

By this time, rice will be tender but still firm and texture velvety. Stir in enough of remaining broth to makerice creamy and fluid. Stir in fiddleheads and cheese and heat through, about 3 minutes.

Serve immediately, with extra parmesan cheese if desired.
Serves 4.