Fiddle Head Ferns

Have you had the opportunity to try them? Only available for a few weeks in spring and sometimes frozen, their taste is a little like artichoke bottoms. My first memory was as a child in upstate NY, given a paring knife and told to go and cut them in a small spot my Mother new from the year before " don't pick the ones that have brown edges or have started to unroll and only cut two or three per plant so you don't kill them" were pretty much the only instructions given. After collecting them for what seemed like hours they were rinsed, cooked and on the table and are at the top 10 of any food I have ever eaten. Preparation is simple and think of serving them with any method used for asparagus. Start by boiling them in a pot of salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water and boil again for the same amount of time, this will reduce any bitterness. While they cook the second time toast some chopped garlic in olive oil until it is brown, drain the ferns and shake well and add to the garlic, season with kosher salt and ground black pepper and they are ready. If you are lucky enough to have some they do not keep well and should be eaten that day, if you have to store them wrap in a clean dry towel, no plastic, and keep in a spot not too cold in the refrigerator.