Recipe: Cream of Fiddlehead Soup

     Spring is the harvest time for Fiddleheads (part of a fern) and New Brunswick is well known for their abundance. You can get them at the local farmers market or the local grocery store. I purchased quite a number of them in June and froze them. On our recent trip out around the province, I found a recipe in the Mighty Miramichi River Guide, so I have not tried it yet. I wanted to share it with you though.

     Courtesy of King George Bed & Breakfast in Miramichi, here is the recipe for Cream of Fiddlehead Soup:

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh fiddleheads, cleaned & trimmed & cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
14.5 ounces vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
     In a large saucepan, combine fiddleheads, chopped onion and 1/2 cup of broth. Cover & bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered until fiddleheads are tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside.
     In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt & pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining broth & increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Stir in the fiddlehead puree & the milk.
     Put the sour cream in a small bowl, & stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture & the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don't allow it to boil. Serve immediately.

     If you try it before I do, please let me know what you think of it.  I'll post an update once I make it.