Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Zesty Garlic Shrimp with Raspberry Honey Mustard Fidldlehead Ferns



















For years I've heard of edible fiddlehead ferns, but I never tasted them before until now! Every year, when Barry and I are on our fishing trips, we usually see baby ferns sprout in Springtime and I'm always drawn to their beauty especially before they turn into huge fronds. They're so plentiful, but I wouldn't even know which one is edible or not, except for the poisonous one.

This year, we actually collected the outer fibers of the fiddlehead ferns since we found out that in ancient Japan (Tenkara - an ancient form of fly fishing) that they were used as a dubbing (blended fur) for fly tying.

Well, when I was out in the market today, I saw a small container of fiddleheads for sale! I couldn't believe it and you can just imagine how ecstatic I was to finally see them in the stores! It says they're wild fiddleheads from New England, a baby ostrich fern variety and it taste just like asparagus. Hmmm....I wonder? So, I picked up of one the three packages left on the shelf and on the way home, all I could think of is how to make them into an awesome side vegetable dish! As you will see below, you'll find out how I turned those fiddleheads into a wonderful accompaniment to the grilled jumbo shrimp I planned for tonight's dinner. The ingredients to these recipes are quiet simple and are readily available in my pantry.

And just last week, the owner of Bittersweet Herb Farm, Dave, sent me a package of their Award Winning Zesty Garlic Seasoning and a bottle Garlic-Rosemary Infused Oil for being a loyal customer. He truly surprised me to say the least!

You see two weeks ago, I wanted to share and post one of my recipes (Steelhead) using one of his Finishing Sauces (Chipotle Peanut Sauce) on the Gourmet Club section of their website. It was one of the Finishing Sauces that I got from their stand at the Philadelphia Flower Show last March along with the balsamic vinegars and jams that I picked up as well, but somehow my email went directly to their administration. Then in turn, one of their customer service rep forwarded my email directly to Dave. I wasn't expecting anything in return, but within a few hours, I got an email from one of his customer service rep letting me know that Dave would like to personally send me something as a token of his appreciation. Wow! I was totally honored by his gesture.

By early last week, I received a package from him with BHF's best selling products! How awesome is that! And I can't thank him enough for his kindness and thoughtfulness! So for tonight's dinner, I dedicate this to him, his wife and their beautiful products. As you will see, I've used their fine gifts for me on the recipes below. And how appropriate it is to use their products on fiddleheads (which are commonly found in the New England States and BHF is based in Massachusetts!). I guess this is all meant to happen :-)

Thanks Dave and BHF for these wonderful seasoning and oil. They definitely made my dishes so savory and flavorful. Here's to happy cooking and eating healthy!

***I've been a fan of their Balsamic Vinegars since 2005 and now I'm adding their seasonings, flavored oils and jams on top of my list!

http://www.bittersweetherbfarm.com/

Ingredients:
Butterflied Jumbo Shrimp
Zesty Garlic Shrimp (Bittersweet Herb Farm)
Red Pepper Flakes
Olive Oil

Wild Fiddleheads (Baby Ostrich Fern)
1/2 Sweet Onions, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
Garlic with Rosemary Oil (Bittersweet Herb Farm)
6 Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup Riesling or White Wine
2 Tbsp. Raspberry Honey Mustard Sauce
Roasted Pine Nuts
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Marinate jumbo butterflied shrimp in olive oil sprinkled with zesty garlic seasoning and red pepper flakes. Put in the refrigerator until ready to grill. Heat grill pan with olive oil on HIGH. Grill shrimp meat side down for about 4 minutes or until shell turn bright pink.

Lightly roast pine nuts in a frying pan. Set aside. Heat garlic-rosemary oil in a pan. Saute onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, raspberry honey mustard sauce and Riesling or White Wine. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add fiddleheads, coat well with the sauce. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts. Serve immediately with the zesty garlic jumbo shrimp with a side of couscous. Yum!

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