Happy Friday! Hope you’re looking forward to a lovely weekend. Can you believe that next weekend is Memorial Day already? Yikes! But let’s savor the present. I say this as much for my benefit as anyone else’s. I have a tendency to always be looking ahead to the next thing. The here and no is totally worth savoring, though.

Case in point: Fiddlehead ferns are one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” seasonal veggies that’s totally worth jumping for if you spot it at the market. Fiddleheads are the fronds of a young fern (sounds fancy, huh?) and harvested in spring before the fern matures and the fronds unfurl. With a taste and texture similar to asparagus, these little guys also pack in a decent amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, potassium, and magnesium. You just want to make sure you clean them really well before cooking.

I will admit, they can be a little pricey, but when I saw them available on Farmigo a few weeks ago, I treated myself to an order. It was a great spring side dish to help me enjoy the season before I get going on all that “summer is coming” talk. Besides, summer is always coming. So is Christmas.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 pound fiddleheads, cleaned
• 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, trimmed and cleaned
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until translucent.
2. Add fiddleheads and sauté 2-3 minutes before adding mushrooms.
3. Sauté until mushrooms are just beginning to soften and then add the wine. Raise heat to a bring wine to a boil. Allow to reduce down and then lower heat. 
4. Cook another minute or two if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What’s your favorite spring vegetable?