Marinated Fiddlehead Salad

2 cups small cauliflower flowerets

1 package frozen fiddleheads, defrosted (10 to 14 ounces)

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup coarsely chopped red pepper

1 small onion, sliced into rings

1 eight ounce can black olives, cut into halves

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons canola oil

pinch of sugar

1 teaspoon dried Italian style herbs

freshly ground pepper and salt

Remove the fiddleheads from the freezer and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and press out any water with paper towels.

Blanch the cauliflower, carrots, red pepper and onion in boiling water until "crisp tender" then drain and plunge into cold water. Drain the vegetables, blot with paper towels and place in a large bowl.

Prepare the marinade by whisking together the vinegars, olive oil, sugar and herbs.

Add the olives and the fiddleheads to the vegetables, then gently stir in the marinade. Cover the chill for at least four to 24 hours.

Makes eight servings.

Cheryl’s notes: Marinated fiddlehead salad can also be prepared with fresh fiddleheads, just blanch them until "crisp tender" along with other vegetables. To preserve fiddleheads for use during the off season, I blanch them in boiling water, and then chill them quickly in an ice water bath. After draining them well and patting dry with a paper towel, I spread them on a cookie sheet pan and place the pan in the freezer. Once the fiddleheads are frozen, store them in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer. Using the cookie sheet pan process individually freezes the fiddleheads, and allows you to use just the quantity you want each time you prepare a recipe.