Fiddlehead-Walnut Pesto
- 15m Prep Time
- 10m Cook Time
- 25m Ready In
MAKES 1½ CUPS To get to the main house at Stonewall Place, we hiked from the beach up a trail built into the hillside. At one bend in the path was a small grove of fiddlehead ferns that grew in the early summer. We picked them when they were tender and young to sauté and toss into a wild plant salad with sorrel and dandelion greens. Sometimes we made them into a wild pesto to dress pasta, spread over a salmon fillet, or eat on toast with a soft-boiled egg. This pesto calls for basil and fiddleheads, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and cheese—some of the tastiest ingredients in the world. Be sure to research where fiddleheads grow in your area and know how to identify them properly before you go out foraging. It is best not to eat fiddleheads raw, as some varieties have been known to cause illness in large quantities.
Ingredients
- 2 cup fresh basil leaves packed
- 1/2 cup fiddleheads washed, steamed, and chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- 2 clove garlic smashed
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 7 of 9 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 922 mg
- Iron: 8.15 mg
- Magnesium: 167 mg
- Phosphorus: 776 mg
- Potassium: 1436 mg
- Zinc: 5.32 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Prepare
- 2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/2 cup fiddleheads, washed, steamed, and chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 clove garlic, smashed
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Wash the fiddleheads thoroughly, then steam them until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain, let cool, then chop finely. Set aside.
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Step 2.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Let cool, then chop roughly.
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Step 3.
In a food processor, combine the basil, chopped fiddleheads, toasted walnuts, smashed garlic cloves, and lemon juice. Pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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Step 4.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until the mixture is well combined and smooth, scraping the sides once more if necessary.
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Step 5.
Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in the grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, a pinch of kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning if desired.
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Step 6.
Serve immediately over hot pasta, or spread on a salmon fillet and bake. The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen in an ice cube tray for up to 2 months.