They say you shouldn’t go to the grocery store hungry because you will over-buy. A corollary to that adage would be, “Don’t go to Russo’s at the peak of Spring.” I’m like a kid in a candy shop, throwing everything in my cart – fresh English peas, morels, fiddlehead ferns, asparagus and ramps.
As I unloaded my bags at home, I thought about what I could make with my bounty. I could make a mélange of vegetables to serve with fish, but I wanted each vegetable to have a chance to shine. Instead, I opted to spread the wealth across several meals. The first meal, I wrote about here: a rather straightforward dish that I replicate in similar fashion every year.
For my second spring meal, I wanted to take a new direction. I found a recipe for fiddleheads that marinates them with soy sauce and sesame oil. This seemed like the perfect accompaniment to teriyaki. And when I make teriyaki, I usually add shiitakes, morels seemed like the logical spring substitution.
The vinaigrette for the fiddleheads is reminiscent of the bean sprout salads served in Japanese and Korean restaurants. I would use this same preparation in the future with bean sprouts.
Fiddlehead Salad
½ pound fiddlehead ferns
1 teaspoons sugar
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 ½ tbs. sesame oil
1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- Soak fiddleheads in water. Let the dirt settle to the bottom. Lift them out, and drain on a paper towel. Repeat this process two more times.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously. Add fiddleheads, and cook for three minutes, or until bright green. Drain well and shock them in an ice bath.
- In a bowl combine sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add drain the fiddleheads and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with morels and teriyaki glazed fish or chicken.
Okay last week, I was envious of your morel mushrooms. This week it’s the fiddlehead ferns. I wish we had those here, somewhere! I’ve only had them once or twice, when traveling in the Spring. I am looking forward to our first Farmer’s Market this weekend. Maybe just maybe someone will have morels. I better get there early 🙂
I love the “look” of fiddleheads, although I can’t say I’ve actually eaten them much, except pureed in a soup once served to me in Burgundy. I like the natural look of the plate.
I was driving along near my house yesterday and saw some fiddleheads by the roadside. Nearly stopped to pick some (of course they were on someone’s property, so I didn’t). I was introduced to fiddleheads years ago by Tony’s Produce, a wonder greengrocer who used to be in Boston’s South End. Tony was Greek, so his recommendation for cooking them was olive oil, garlic and a squeeze of lemon.