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March 29, 2012

Pako salad in anchovy paste vinaigrette

Text and photo by RU Navarro

Fiddlehead ferns—locally known as "pako", are one of the cheapest yet interesting greens that can be eaten fresh. They are edible weeds that do not come from the sea; they are woodland weeds that grow frequently during rainy days, from Pampanga down to Laguna and probably elsewhere in the country.

Aside from salads, these verdant, asparagus-tasting tendrils are just as good as swamp cabbages in "sinigang". In other parts of the world, the fiddlehead fern soup is just as common.

This recipe is a simple salad to do using a local dressing. When lettuce are not available or you jut want another greens, a "pako" for a bunch (usually Php10 to Php20 only) is good enough to pair with grilled or fried meats or seafood. A poor man's own rendition is however a plate of slices of salted eggs and tomatoes with red onions—and already, it is a filling meal with mounds of rice.

PAKO SALAD

Pako Salad

Ingredients

1 bundle "pako"

2 salted duck eggs

3 medium-sized tomatoes

2 T. red vinegar

1 T fish sauce (bagoong isda)

1 t virgin olive oil

1/4 kg pork

Procedure

1. Cut pork into bite-size pieces and deep fry until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Blanch the fiddlehead ferns into boiling water for about a minute then transfer them in an ice bath quickly to make them crisp and more colorful (and their slight toxicity removed). Drain.

3. Cut the tendrils into desired length. Put them in a bowl.

4. In a small bowl, add vinegar, olive oil, and fish sauce and drizzle it to the fiddle head fern.

5. Slice rich, ripe tomatoes and salted duck eggs.

6. Assemble the salad and place the sliced tomatoes, salted eggs, and fried pork on the side. Serves two to three. Serve with or without rice.

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