Fiddlehead Fern & Hydroponic Tomato Salad
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
Rub or rinse off the brownish, woolly covering of the fiddleheads. Steam them in a covered pot over boiling water 1-2 minutes.
Check for doneness: They should droop a bit, but still have a crisp-tender texture when you bite into them.
Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Drain and dry on towels.
Toss with remaining ingredients. Let stand for 1/2 hour before serving.
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.
More Recipes
More Recipes by This Author
Edible in your mailbox
