Each year the wild fiddlehead ferns come in season in May and are exported from northern New England and eastern Canada to gourmet restaurants and markets around the country. To commemorate their arrival each year, Fiddleheads Restaurant in Jamesburg, New Jersey, which is named for the edible baby ostrich fern, creates a special menu featuring this crunchy green delicacy.
And since they are a “wild” food, Fiddleheads’ executive chef, Dan Davis, pairs them with wild game dinner specials. This year, Fiddleheads’ “wild” menu will launch today, Wednesday, May 18th, and will run for two weeks. During that time, the following specials will be offered during dinner hours…
Buffalo Stew with Fiddleheads: tender buffalo tips stewed with carrots, turnips, celery, onion, and tomato; topped with piped mashed potatoes, then baked, and served with a medley of sautéed fiddleheads and mushrooms
Veal Chop with Fiddleheads: grilled and smothered with a medley of sautéed fiddleheads and mushrooms, and mashed potatoes
Fiddlehead-Stuffed Flounder: wild-caught flounder wrapped around a roasted tomato-fiddlehead-fennel stuffing, then baked, and served on jasmine rice with a side of fiddleheads sautéed with garlic & white wine
“Where the Fiddleheads and Antelope Play”: richly flavored medallions of free-range antelope sautéed with red wine bordelaise, served with scalloped sweet potatoes and a medley of sautéed fiddleheads and mushrooms
Roasted Chicken and Fiddleheads: French-cut chicken breast lightly seasoned and served on mashed potatoes, finished with a richly flavored poultry stock reduction and medley of sautéed fiddleheads and mushrooms
“Northern Exposure” Pasta with Fiddleheads: spicy andouille sausage, wild Canadian fiddleheads, shrimp, and kiwi mussels steeped in a broth of lemon, coconut milk, and red bell peppers, tossed with linguine and served with warm cornbread
Fiddleheads is also returning the extremely popular annual appetizer special, Wild Fiddleheads “Calamari-Style”: wild Canadian fiddleheads coated with buttermilk, flour, and bread crumbs, then flash fried crispy brown, served with a tangy lemon aioli and a traditional spicy tomato sauce.
Customers who wish to try just the fiddleheads may substitute the ferns for the vegetable on Fiddleheads’ regular dinner entrées for an up-charge, or order a separate side of fiddleheads sautéed with mushrooms in lemon and butter. All menu items featuring fiddleheads are available during dinner hours only.
For more information, or to make reservations, please call (732) 521-0878.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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