Fiddlehead Ferns with Spicy Blistered Tomatoes & Warm Herb Vinaigrette

The key to this flavor packed dish is quick cooking and high heat. Those two elements ensure the actual blistering of the tomatoes, and that the fiddleheads keep their succulent texture. I plated this on a bed of eggplant puree and served it with some slow roasted lamb, and nettle flatbreads, but I could see it being equally good over a bed of rice.

• Ladyfern fiddleheads, trimmed, blanched, shocked and drained.

• olive oil

• small cherry tomatoes

• garlic, shallots, and fresh chili, chopped fine.

• salt

• sherry vinegar

• a hearty amount of chopped herbs. I used parsley, wild fennel, dill, and scallions. Don’t be afraid of adding too much, really go for it!

In a large sauté pan, heat a generous amount of olive oil over med-high heat. Add your cherry tomatoes and let them sit until the skin starts to blister and pop open (this will take a few minutes). Add the chopped garlic, shallots and chili to the pan and stir things around, allowing the other sides of the tomatoes to blister. Once the garlic and shallots start to brown, add the fiddleheads and give everything a good toss. Add a shot of vinegar, toss in the herbs, and season with salt. Turn off the heat and plate. Add more herbs to the top of the finished plate if you like for presentation.

Braised Stinging Nettles & Chicken with Juniper and Citrus

I’ll spare you the bit where blog writers like to write their life story before getting to the recipe. The only thing I’ll note is that this, like most things I plan on posting here, is a very un-recipe recipe. Quantities can be scaled up or down, and cooking times may vary. I’ll give you the basics and let you take it from there. Happy cooking!

• olive oil

• chicken legs or thighs

• salt and pepper

• shallot, sliced

• garlic, crushed and chopped

• splash of white wine or apple cider vinegar

• stemmed and rinsed nettles

• chicken broth

• coconut milk (or regular cream if you prefer.)

• orange peel

• juniper berries, crushed

• fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat the oven to 350° F

Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. Then, in a pan that will be large enough to hold all the nettles, brown the legs in olive oil on all sides, setting the chicken aside once complete. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sauté over medium heat until they begin to turn golden around the edges. Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or vinegar and reduce the liquid to almost nothing. Add the nettles, and let these wilt down. Add the broth and cream, just enough to cover the greens, and let this simmer a few minutes. Place a few slices of orange peel, thyme sprigs, and juniper berries across the pan. Arrange the chicken legs on top, then cover with a tight fitting lid or foil. Bake this in the oven until the chicken is tender (I let mine go for about an hour). Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Enjoy!