Fiddlehead Caesar Salad

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Preparation

Halve the fiddleheads lengthwise. Fill 3 large containers with very cold water. Immerse the fiddleheads in one container of water after the other, moving them around vigorously to get them clean. The water in the third container should stay nearly clear, which indicates that the fiddleheads are thoroughly clean.

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, blanch the fiddleheads for about 5 minutes. Remove them and cool them in a bowl of ice water. Set aside.

In a blender, mix the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, capers, garlic clove and anchovies until smooth. Lower speed and remove the blender’s smaller lid in order to slowly incorporate the vegetable oil, in a thin stream. Once the dressing emulsifies, add 15 ml of boiling water to stabilize it. Season if needed and refrigerate.

On a baking sheet, crisp the bacon in the oven at 375 °F (190 °C) for about 12 minutes (perhaps slightly longer). Set the bacon slices aside, also setting aside the baking sheet with its bacon grease.

Cut the bacon into bits. Set them aside.

Cube the bread and spread it out on the grease-covered baking sheet. Season and bake at 375 °F (190 °C) for about 12 minutes or until the cubed bread is nice and golden. Set aside.

Cut the lettuce leaves into strips, lengthwise, and place them in a large salad bowl. Add the cooked fiddleheads and top with Caesar dressing. Toss well.

Finely grate some Parmesan on top. Sprinkle with the bread cubes and bacon bits. Finish with a turn of the pepper mill or two.

Source Martin Juneau