Ingredients: 1 lb. fresh Maine fiddleheads or fresh asparagus; 1⁄4 c.balsamic vinegar; 1⁄2 c.olive oil; 10 chives or 5 leaves fresh sage, finely chopped; 1⁄2 tsp. salt; 1⁄2 tsp. pepper; 4 to 6 oz. jar of oil packed roasted red peppers; 1 lb. fresh mozzarella balls packed in oil; 4 oz. Appleton Creamery chèvre, flavored or plain; 8 oz. Ducktrap River smoked mussels; 8 oz. Ducktrap River smoked salmon; 1 piece approximately 6 to 8 oz. Ducktrap River Smoked Trout or Salmon (or both); 6 c. mesclun greens, washed and drained.
Method: Wash and trim the fiddleheads. Steam the fiddleheads in a medium saucepan for three minutes, then rinse immediately with cool water. Place in a re-sealable plastic bag.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour into the bag with the fiddleheads. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
Arrange the greens on a large platter. Mound the marinated fiddleheads in the center. Slice the roasted red peppers into half-inch strips. Drain the mozzarella balls. Break the chèvre and smoked mussels, salmon, and trout into large chunks. Lay the roasted red pepper strips around the fiddleheads and arrange the other items around the edges.
Serve immediately with bread rounds or crackers if you like. Set out a dish of your favorite dressing on the side.
Dressing: 3/4 c. olive oil; 1⁄2 c. balsamic vinegar; 1 Tbsp. mustard; 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil; 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives; 2 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 handful fresh parsley, coarsely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. pepper; 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
Salad: 2 c. fresh garden tomatoes, coarsely chopped; 1 c. yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped; 1 c. cucumber, coarsely chopped; 1 c. broccoli florets, cut in bite sized pieces; 1 c. sweet red or Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped; 1 c. celery, coarsely chopped; 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced or coarsely shredded; 10 fresh large basil leaves, coarsely chopped; 1 lb. small mozzarella balls, or mozzarella cheese; 1 lb. whole wheat, spelt or spinach pasta – cooked al dente; chive blossoms for garnish.
Place the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together until completely incorporated. Set aside.
Wash and chop the vegetables. Add all of the vegetables and cheese to the bowl. Toss with the dressing and let marinate in the fridge overnight. The pasta will absorb the dressing as it sits. Toss before serving.
Add a little drizzle of oil and vinegar if you need additional moisture. Serve with fresh crusty whole grain bread and chive blossoms for garnish.
Dressing: 2 lemons; 1 anchovy, or 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp. anchovy paste; 2 Tbsp. minced garlic; 1 Tbsp. Raye’s Sweet and Spicy Mustard; 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar; 3 dashes pepper sauce; 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp. Maine maple syrup; 6 to 8 oz. extra virgin olive oil; 1⁄2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1⁄4 tsp. salt; 1⁄2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, juice the lemons. Add the anchovy, garlic, mustard, vinegar, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire. Whisk together for one minute. Be sure all of the ingredients are well blended.
Slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl as you whisk. Continue whisking until all of the oil is incorporated.
Whisk in the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Croutons: 1 loaf of bread (pumpernickel, crusty baguette, or whatever is on hand); 1⁄3 c. butter; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1⁄4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper; dash salt.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the loaf of bread into 3⁄4-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Melt the butter and stir in the garlic, pepper, and salt.
Pour the butter mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat all pieces evenly.
Arrange a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet and place the bread cubes on the rack. Toast in a preheated oven for 6 to 9 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool. Croutons can be stored in a plastic bag or airtight container in the freezer for several months.
Salad: 3 to 4 heads romaine lettuce; Parmesano Reggiano cheese. Wash lettuce completely. Chop into bite sized pieces. Let drain to remove as much excess water as possible – a salad spinner works great.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave slivers of the cheese and set aside.
When ready to serve, place the lettuce, croutons and half of the dressing in a large bowl. Toss well together. Sprinkle in the cheese slivers and as much dressing as you like to keep the salad moist. Toss again and serve.
7 habaneros; 7 jalapenos; 7 serrano peppers; 2 c. chopped carrots; 1 1/2 c. chopped Vidalia onion; 10 cloves garlic, peeled; 1 Tbsp. lime juice; 1 Tbsp. lemon juice; 1 Tbsp. white vinegar; 2 Tbsp. olive oil; 1/2 c. apple cider or balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt; 1 tsp. sugar; 1 tsp. ground mustard powder; 1 tsp. turmeric
In a small pot of boiling water, blanch peppers for 1 minute. Remove from water, cut off tops, and set aside. (You can de-seed them to make the sauce milder.) Add carrots, onion, and garlic to boiling water, return to boil, lower heat and simmer vegetables until fork tender. Drain and cool slightly.
In food processor or blender, place all ingredients and puree. Cool, place into glass jars, and refrigerate. This will last in the fridge for weeks.
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup; 1/3 c. orange juice concentrate; 2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar; salt and pepper, to taste; 2 Tbsp. light olive oil.
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour into a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. Chill. Shake well before serving.
(Cynthia Finnemore Simonds loves to cook, eat, and dance. A chef, educator, and the author of three cookbooks, she resides in Newcastle.)
