fiddhead soup

½ lb. fresh fiddleheads, rinsed and trimmed
2 tbs. butter
1 small onion, minced
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 cup light cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook fiddleheads until they are almost tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside a few whole fiddleheads for garnish. Coarsely chop remaining fiddleheads and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent. Add chopped fiddleheads and chicken stock. Increase heat to medium-high and stir. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and cook about 5 minutes, until fiddleheads are tender. Add milk and light cream and reduce heat to medium; heat until just before boiling. Remove from heat and blend using a hand-held blender, until soup has an even consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

For the foam garnish, in a steep-sided 2 cup glass measuring cup, heat ½ - ¾ cup of low-fat milk in microwave. Following manufacturer’s directions, froth milk using a latte whisk, until at least doubled in volume.

Serve hot soup in ceramic latte bowls, and garnish with foam and whole fiddleheads. Serve immediately.