In addition to being a Certified Health Coach and culinary instructor, New Canaan mom of two young children, Eila Johnson, writes the full plate blog. The site, which was named to Forbes’ Top 100 Sites for Women and Forbes’ Top 10 Sites for Parenting and Homemaking, teaches busy parents how to make simple, nourishing recipes for their families and friends.
Eila recently spotted fiddlehead ferns in the produce aisle of Walter Stewart’s and was excited to make them for her family. Not sure how her 6-year-old would respond to the new (rather funny looking) veggie, she opted for a kid-friendly preparation… simple, with a dipping sauce. When in doubt, Eila always offers up a dipping sauce! The verdict? Both kids loved the strange look of the ferns (“like snails!”) and taste (“like asparagus”)… and the fact that they got to eat them with their hands!
Fiddlehead Ferns with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
(Makes 6 servings)
1 lb fiddlehead ferns (tight, bright green coils)
½ cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Ojai Cook Lemonaise (condiment aisle)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-teaspoon horseradish
Zest of 1 lemon
1-bunch scallions, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, place the fiddlehead ferns in a bowl of cool water, and rub the dry brown casing off each fern. Once the water is boiling, place the fiddlehead ferns in for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a colander under cold running water, to stop the cooking. Serve warm or room temp with yogurt dipping sauce.
For dipping sauce:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Sauce is also excellent with grilled veggies, chicken, pork, fish or beef.