Fiddle Head Ferns

On Sunday, I went to the Ballard Farmer's Market as I like to do and picked up a special seasonal treat, fiddle head ferns! The forager was sold out of early morels and said that porcinis were on their way! I am anxiously waiting for morels like girl with a giddy crush, waiting for the next time they meet. Oh but fiddle head ferns! They are a lot of fun to look at as well as eat. The curved head of the fern looks like a tight green lollipop, the top of a guard's tight bundled curved staff at the entrance of a garden gate or a type of barnicle feather found in the ocean.
When you first get them, give them a good rinse. The reccommendation on how to cook them is first to blanch in salted water, longer than you would broccoli or asparagus or else a quick pickle or roasted. I blanched mine last night and did a quick saute in butter and salt and pepper. They were delicious, very nutty, a slight crunch on the outside like asparagus but softer in the middle. As strange as the curved fiddle heads appear, they are so good and they are lovely on a plate, a twirled and curled edible treat.