Fiddleheads in Brown Sage Bacon Butter is plate licking delicious.

Just a quick post today. I’m up to my eyeballs in other work but loving it. I never take for granted how blessed I am to spend every day passionate about what I’m doing. Life’s too short to wake up dreading the day. Normally, we’d be at the farm by now, but busy schedules have us running late. Fingers crossed we’ll be there in a few weeks…

I was surprised to find these little beauties at the market. Its so cold here, I thought we were weeks away from picking fiddleheads. Funny how it goes. Weather-wise we’re having a miserable spring and still Mother Nature pushes on. I’m not sure how readily available fiddleheads are around the world but here in New Brunswick they grow wild near brooks and streams. If you can get your hands on some fresh fiddleheads, this pasta dish is delicious. Frankly, what doesn’t taste yummy with sage butter and bacon – hello!

LINGUINE WITH FIDDLEHEADS IN BROWN SAGE BACON BUTTER
Serves 4

250 g imported Italian linguine
500 g fresh fiddleheads, cleaned and trimmed
8 slices smoked bacon
4 radishes, sliced super thin
4 green onion, cut into ¼ “ diagonal slices
½ cup clarified butter
Fresh sage leaves, to taste

THE STEPS:

• Prepare linguine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• While your pasta is cooking, place a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat.
• Add bacon slices and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy
• Remove bacon from skillet to some paper towel.
• Add clarified butter to skillet.
• When the oil and butter are frothing, add your sage leaves.
• Fry until crispy then turn over and repeat.
• Remove crispy sage leaves to paper towel.
• Add cleaned and trimmed fiddleheads to your skillet and sauté until fork tender – stirring often.
• When your paste is done cooking, drain into a colander and leave until needed.

• When the fiddleheads are tender, add your cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until the pasta strands are well coated with the bacon fat and butter mixture.
• Break the crispy bacon into large bits and add to the pasta – toss well.
• Divide the pasta between 4 serving dishes.
• Sprinkle each dish with the sliced radishes and green onion.
• Serve immediately with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, crispy sage leaves and grated Parmesan.

THE LOVE: To clean your fiddleheads, fill your kitchen sink up with cold water and let the fiddleheads soak for 15 minutes. All the loose bits will settle to the bottom of your sink. As you remove the fiddleheads, trim off any overly brown brown stems.

Thanks for reading.