SPRING PASTA WITH FIDDLEHEADS AND SEAFOOD

My version of a fresh spring dish created by chef Lizzie Stewart, The Blue Door, Fredericton, NB. She poaches her peeled cherry tomatoes slowly in garlic-infused oil (a sort of tomato confit) for extra flavour, and uses either prawns or lobster meat in the light creamy sauce.

1 cup fiddleheads, tightly furled heads

12 large prawns, peeled and deveined, or 1 cup cubed lobster meat

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.5 teaspoon garlic puree

12 cherry tomatoes, blanched and peeled or halved

½ cup white wine

1/3 cup whipping cream

8 oz. fresh pappardelle pasta or dried wide, flat noodles, cooked barely al dente (1-2 minutes for fresh pasta)

6 thin ribbons of zucchini

handful of baby arugula

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

pea shoots to garnish

Trim any brown spots from the fiddleheads. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the fiddleheads. Boil for 2-3 minutes, then drain and shock in a bowl of ice water. When cool, drain and set aside (they can be vac-packed and frozen at this point).

To make zucchini ribbons, used a mandoline (or a vegetable peeler) to take thin, lengthwise slices from a medium zucchini. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the prawns or lobster and cook quickly for 1 minute, until pink. Season with salt and pepper and stir in garlic and tomatoes.

Add the wine to deglaze and cook for a minute, until half of it has evaporated, then stir in the cream.

Bring to a simmer and add the reserved fiddleheads, the pasta and zucchini ribbons, tossing together over medium high heat until the zucchini is tender and pasta is heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the arugula and toss to combine.

Divide the mixture between two large pasta bowls. Top each serving with Parmesan and fresh pea shoots to garnish. Serves 2.

©Cinda Chavich 2012

www.tastereport.com