The Queen of Spring: Fiddlehead: Asparagus and Fiddleheads with Hazelnuts and Tarragon Vinaigrette

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<em>Serves 4 to 6</em>
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<p>This easy dish may be prepared a day in advance.</p>
<p>2 pounds fresh asparagus, white parts snapped off<br />
1 pound fresh fiddleheads, cleaned and trimmed<br />
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar<br />
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion<br />
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard<br />
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon<br />
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste<br />
4 cups French sorrel or spinach<br />
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped<br />
10 violet flowers for garnish</p>
<p>Steam the asparagus and fiddleheads for 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge them into ice water. When cool, drain again and pat dry. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.</p>
<p>Whisk together the oil, vinegar, onion, mustard, tarragon, salt, and pepper. At serving time, make a bed of sorrel on a large platter. Arrange the asparagus and fiddleheads on it, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Garnish with violets.</p>
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<p>Pat Crocker of Hanover, Ontario, Canada, leads walks in which participants learn to identify and gather wild herbs, then prepare them for a gourmet lunch. Her latest cookbook, The Healing Herbs Cookbook (Robert Rose, 1999), features culinary and medicinal herbs in timely, tasty dishes.</p>
<p>Click here to read the original article, <a href=”https://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/the-queen-of-spring.aspx”>The Queen of Spring: Fiddlehead</a>.</p>