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Fiddlehead Fern Pesto

Fiddlehead Ferns
Photo by Brad Sylvester. Copyright 2012, all rights reserved.
When one orders pesto in a restaurant, one expects the flavor of fresh basil. After all the classic basil pesto recipe is simply fresh basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, a little garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Pesto, however, doesn't have to be made with basil. Parsley, cilantro, and a variety of fresh, flavorful greens can be used instead to provide twists on the classic pesto.
Pesto, of course, is a thick sauce often used in place of tomato sauce on pasta, but also appropriate for many other dishes. It's great with chicken, with gnocchi, in place of mayo in a sandwich, with pork chops, in place of horseradish with beef, with fish or in almost any dish that can be enhanced by the addition of fresh garden flavors.

Since it is springtime in New England, it is the only time of year that we can get fresh fiddlehead ferns. These are often available in the produce department of good grocery stores in the region during May (currently $4.99/ lb at my local Hannaford's Grocery), at farmer's markets, or they can be collected from the wild. So it's the perfect time to impress your guests with a culinary treat that is incredibly easy and quick to prepare and very likely a new taste for them: fiddlehead fern pesto.

Total Preparation time: Only 5 minutes!

Fiddlehead Fern Pesto
Photo by Brad Sylvester. Copyright 2012, all rights reserved.
Ingredients for Fiddlehead Fern Pesto:
2 cups fiddlehead ferns (rinsed)
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
3 cloves garlic
dash of salt
dash of black pepper

Equipment required:
food processor
garlic press (optional)

Fiddlehead Fern Pesto Cooking Instructions:
1) Place the walnuts or pine nuts in the food processor and pulse until they are minced.
2) Mince garlic (use garlic press or a sharp, non-serrated knife)
3) Add fiddlehead ferns, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic to food processor.
4) Process until the mixture has a smooth, even consistency (it will still be a bit grainy - like hummus)
5) Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste
6) Fold into a serving bowl from food processor

Serve as a sauce for any dish that would use ordinary basil pesto.
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