Fiddle-what?!

My apologies for being MIA with posts - last week I had my wisdom teeth removed, and though I was quite experimental with the food I was eating, I doubt that anyone with full chewing capabilities actually wants to read about the mush I made. I still can't eat anything crunchy, but at least I've moved onto bigger and better options than jell-o. Which brings me to last night's experimental recipe with a special, seasonal ingredient: fiddleheads. Yes, you read correctly. No, I did not just make up a word. Fiddleheads are an early spring New England delicacy of which most people have never heard, let alone tasted. 

I won't go into details about the history of fiddleheads - that's why wikipedia exists. What I will say is that I was introduced to fiddleheads because last year my dad (who grew up eating fiddleheads) was insistent that I buy some. He raved and reminisced about fiddleheads' unique taste (he no longer lives in New England, and therefore had not tasted fiddleheads in over 20 years), which obviously left me no choice but to go out and buy a 1/2 pound. 

Admittedly, when I first heard the word "fiddlehead" I thought it was some sort of fish. NO clue where I got that idea, because fiddleheads are ferns. Their taste is unlike any other vegetable, as is their appearance:

But after ogling at their swirly shape, there's a very important question to ask: what do you do with them? For starters, you need to make sure you wash fiddleheads in cold water, and boil them in water for 2 minutes (to get rid of any potential bacteria, and lessen their naturally bitter taste). Then...well, that's where I was having trouble. You see, there aren't very many fiddlehead recipes out there (at least that I could find). None of my cookbooks mention fiddleheads, and my online research yielded fewer than 5 recipes from which to choose. Last year I sauteed them in olive oil, with garlic and red pepper flakes, but I wanted to do something different this year. I wanted to get a little crazy. So instead I did this: oil, ginger, mushrooms, fiddleheads, and a light drizzle of sesame oil. Fantastic. Served over mashed sweet potatoes (roasted first, then mashed, then drizzled with sesame oil), and two eggs sunny-side-up on top. Delicious taste, and not too crunchy ;)

To those of you in the New England region, take a chance on fiddleheads. I promise there's nothing like 'em. To those of you without access to fiddleheads, take a chance on another regional delicacy of which you may be unfamiliar. Sure, this requires a little research, but isn't exploring new foods part of the fun of eating? When's the last time you asked yourself, "what new foods have I tried lately?" Remember, eating should be an experience (not a pastime). It's time for you to get a little crazy. Perhaps get a little fiddleheaded (ok, yes, now I made up a word...but it sounds good, right?).