Steam-Baked Shad Fillets With Noodles And Fiddleheads

Ingredients

The fiddleheads:

• ¾ pound fiddleheads
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

The fillets:

• 4 small shad fillets, skin and bones removed (about 2 pounds)
• 24 lengths of lemon grass (see note)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, quartered

The noodles:

• ½ pound dry thin egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest, cut into fine dice
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    660 calories; 37 grams fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 34 grams protein; 190 milligrams cholesterol; 662 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Four servings

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash the fiddleheads carefully in cold water and remove all the pollen. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the fiddleheads. Cook five to eight minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain under cold running water and drain again.
3. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the fiddleheads and toss in the butter. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
4. Bring three quarts of lightly salted water to the boil. While you wait for the water to boil, prepare the fish for cooking. Place a large sheet of foil on a baking pan. Lightly butter the foil. Scatter the lemon grass over the buttered foil and place the fillets in a single layer on top, adding salt and pepper to taste. Fold the foil to seal the fish. Bake for 12 minutes, or until desired doneness.
5. When the water comes to the boils, add the noodles and cook, stirring down with a fork for about eight minutes or until just tender. Drain and return to the pot and toss in the butter, zest, pepper and chives. Reserve.
6. A few minutes before the fish is done, reheat the fiddleheads over low heat. Place the noodles and fiddleheads on four hot serving plates. Unseal the foil and, using a large spatula, remove the fillets to each plate and discard the lemon grass. Serve immediately with the lemon quarters.

• Wine recommendation: Muscadet or Chablis.
• Lemon grass is available fresh and dried at most Oriental markets

45 minutes