FRIED FIDDLEHEADS WITH LEMON-CHIVE DIPPING SAUCE

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: You might not immediately think of fiddleheads as finger food, but when we looked at these bite-size coiled ferns, we saw a frying opportunity we couldn’t pass up. Our goal was clear: deep-fried
fiddleheads with a coating that was both delicious and didn’t completely obscure their signature shape. Beer batter was tasty, but the flavor was too strong and the batter completely cloaked the fiddleheads. Tasters liked the flavor and look of lacy tempura batter, but didn’t like the way it stuck the fiddleheads together, fusing them into large clumps. A simple panko crust was too tough and disguised the fiddleheads’ shape. When we tried a cornmeal coating, tasters were finally satisfied. The cornmeal brought a faint sweetness and great crunch, while cornstarch kept the crust crisp and flour gave it structure—and it was light enough for us to still see the beautiful coils. We blanched the fiddleheads before coating and frying them, so they were cooked through by the time the crust turned golden brown. Served with a bright lemon-chive dipping sauce, these were delicious fiddleheads we could see—but unlike we’d ever seen before. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. Be sure to set up the ice water bath before cooking the fiddleheads; plunging them into the cold water immediately after blanching retains their bright green color and ensures that they don’t overcook.

Serves: 6 to 8

Total time: 50 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling time)

INGREDIENTS:

LEMON-CHIVE DIPPING SAUCE:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

FIDDLEHEADS:

• 1 pound fiddleheads, trimmed and cleaned
• Salt and pepper
• ⅔ cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup cornmeal
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the lemon-chive dipping sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. For the fiddleheads: Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Add fiddleheads and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fiddleheads to ice water, and let sit until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain, transfer fiddleheads to platter lined with triple layer of paper towels, and dry well.
3. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Whisk buttermilk and egg together in shallow dish. Whisk cornmeal, cornstarch, flour, garlic powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in second shallow dish. Working in batches, dip
   fiddleheads in buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip back into dish, then dredge in cornmeal mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Transfer fiddleheads to parchment-lined sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least
   30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
4. Add oil to clean, dry Dutch oven until it measures 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Carefully add half of fiddleheads to hot oil and cook, stirring as needed to prevent sticking, until
   fiddleheads are golden and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 350 and 375 degrees. Using wire skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fiddleheads to prepared rack. Season with salt and transfer to oven to keep warm.
5. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining fiddleheads. Serve immediately with lemon-chive dipping sauce.