TtoE First fiddleheads

Mornings in my region between the Tone and Edo Rivers are cold and dry, and the frost melts away by midday. It's starting to feel like spring.

The produce in the supermarkets this week reflects the season, and this time, I spied 薇, zenmai, young ferns often referred to as fiddleheads.

Osmunda japonica, zenmai (photo Kropsoq)

The ferns grow widely across Asia, and they appear in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese dishes.

Akita Prefecture produce

For just a handful of fiddleheads, the price is steep, but these ones were discounted. After a little research on recipes, I settled on a simple way to prepare them. Most sources in Japanese and English I read indicate that it is important to blanch them for some minutes to prevent food poisoning. Into the boiling water they went for a few minutes.

After boiling, I panfried them in oil with a clove of chopped garlic, and dressed them with a sauce with a tablespoon each of sake and mirin, and two tablespoons of sesame paste.

Sauteed fiddleheads with sesame dressing

I was worried the garlic would overpower the fiddleheads, but it turns out this is a good combination. The fiddleheads are peppery and go well with sesame.