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Fiddlehead Fern & Hydroponic Tomato Salad

Prep Time:  25 Minutes

     Cook Time:  2 Minutes

     Serves:  5

Fiddleheads, the tightly furled heads of very young ostrich ferns, are a spring green from the urban wilds. The petite curlicues are as cute as buttons and as succulent as asparagus.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fiddlehead fern tops, 3- to 4-inch lengths
  • 4 small hydroponic tomatoes, cut into small chunks
  • 10 Greek olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Rub or rinse off the brownish, woolly covering of the fiddleheads. Steam them in a covered pot over boiling water 1-2 minutes.
  2. Check for doneness: They should droop a bit, but still have a crisp-tender texture when you bite into them.
  3. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Drain and dry on towels.
  4. Toss with remaining ingredients. Let stand for 1/2 hour before serving.

Notes

Suggestions Don't eat fiddleheads raw, but don't overcook them either--they're at their best after a minute or two of boiling. A little sugar helps tame the slight bitterness of larger fiddleheads.