Hot Fiddlehead Salad

Fiddleheads or fiddlenecks refer to young fern fronds, still curled in the fetal position, cut from any number of edible ferns, such as the ostrich, hay-scented, cinnamon or evergreen.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups fiddlehead ferns, rinsed
• 4 thick strips bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Blanch ferns in boiling salted water to cover for about 4 minutes. Drain them well.
2. Fry bacon strips in a wok or large skillet. Remove them when crisp and drain on paper towels.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and add olive oil. Add ferns and stir over high heat until they are coated with oil.
4. Pour into a serving dish, sprinkle with lemon juice and seasonings, and crumble bacon over the top.