Edible Canada Market Dinner with Anna Olsen & Fiddlehead Salad Recipe

This was actually my favourite course of the evening. Not only do I love fiddleheads which taste like a love child of asparagus and artichokes, but I enjoy all the ingredients in this salad individually or together. The salty, sweet, and tang were also well played. The vinaigrette and pickled onions just stripped the bitterness in the ridicchio and the sweet crunch of pecans balanced out the acidity. The salad had good texture, crunch and colour, and with some added goat cheese and grilled BC Spot Prawns it could have been a main.

Being that fiddleheads are a limited time ingredient in the Spring, this is a seasonal recipe. However the salad could easily be enjoyed with artichoke hearts and snap peas as an alternative to fiddleheads (as suggested by Anna Olsen).

Fiddlehead Salad with Pickled Red Onions & Maple Toasted Pecans Recipe

This recipe is compliments of Anna Olsen’s recipe book Fresh with Anna Olson.

Serves 6

Pickled Red Onions
Makes about 4 cups (1 l)

• 4 cups sliced red onions 1 L
• 1/3 cup sugar 80 mL
• 1/3 cup honey 80 mL
• 1 cup dry white wine 250 mL
• ¼ cup lemon juice 60 mL
• 1 tsp salt 5 mL

1. Simmer all the ingredients, uncovered, over medium heat until the onions are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. These can be refrigerated for up to 6 weeks.

Maple Toasted Pecans
Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

• 2 cups pecan halves 500 mL
• 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup 45 mL
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 5 mL

1. Preheat the oven to 350°f (180°c). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Toss the pecans with the maple syrup and black pepper to coat. Spread the pecans on the prepared tray and bake them for 10 to 12 minutes, without stirring, until toasted. Let cool in the pan. As the maple syrup cools it will caramelize onto the pecans. The pecans can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Fiddlehead Salad Vinaigrette

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice 45 mL
• 1 Tbsp finely minced shallot 15 mL
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard 2 mL
• 1/3 cup grapeseed or canola oil 80 mL
• 2 Tbsp tepid water 30 mL
• salt & pepper
• 1 Tbsp chopped chives 15 mL

Fiddleheads

• 3 cups fresh or frozen fiddleheads 750 mL
• 3 cups radicchio leaves (Treviso radicchio, 750 mL if available)
• 1 cup pickled red onions 250 mL
• 2/3 cup maple toasted pecans 160 mL

1. For the vinaigrette, whisk the lemon juice, shallot, and Dijon to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil until it’s incorporated, then whisk in the water. Season to taste and stir in the chives.

2. If using fresh fiddleheads, trim off the stem ends and soak them in water for 10 minutes. Wash thoroughly, rubbing gently between your fingers. Drain well.

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Blanch the fiddleheads until tender, about 5 minutes for fresh and 3 minutes for frozen (tasting is the best way to judge).

4. Drain the fiddleheads and shock them in ice water to halt the cooking process. Drain and chill until ready to serve.

5. To assemble the salad, arrange the radicchio on a platter. Toss the fiddleheads with the vinaigrette and arrange on the platter. Spoon the pickled red onions overtop and sprinkle with the maple toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

Fresh Take

• A fiddlehead embodies all that is spring. Small and delicate, these curly fern shoots are mild and have an almost creamy taste similar to artichoke hearts. It’s worth noting that fiddleheads should only be eaten once cooked—blanching removes something called shikimic acid (long story short, an acid that is transformed and used in flu medications, but not meant to be consumed in its raw form).
• If you can’t find fiddleheads, don’t panic. You can use freshly cooked artichoke hearts or even blanched snap peas instead.
• Fiddleheads grow in damp forest beds and they take a bit of the forest with them when picked. If using fresh, take the time to soak and gently clean them. Frozen fiddleheads are already cleaned.
• The pickled red onions make a great condiment for burgers, grilled fish, or chicken, while the maple toasted pecans are a nice diversion on a cheese plate or even sprinkled on an apple tart or ice cream.

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