Sauteed Fiddleheads Recipe Story aired: Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Named for their resemblance to the end of a violin, or fiddle, these spring treats have a distinct taste of wild asparagus. The fiddlehead season is short, it begins in April and ends some six weeks later, depending on the region you find them in. Given the small window when these veggies are fresh, there's no sense mucking up their unique flavor up with lots of competing tastes.
This is a simple, but delicious technique that highlights the fresh, wild flavors of spring. The fiddleheads are blanched in boiling water and then saut? in good olive oil with lots of garlic. If you can find spring garlic (the new growth from a garlic plant that shoots up in the spring and has a deliciously subtle garlic/onion flavor), this dish will be even better.
