"Surely one of special rewards for getting through mud season is the springtime appearance of fiddleheads - at local grocers, and growing wild abundantly in the woods below my house. I never knew of these (or considered that they were edible!) before coming to Vermont, but it didn't take long to learn how to make the most of our short fiddlehead season and cook them up in a bunch of different ways: buttered and baked crisp as a side dish, on pizza, and...in soup. This is my favorite fiddlehead recipe. I modified a family recipe for asparagus soup and it really showcases the unique taste - and look - of fiddleheads."

Cook onion in 2 Tbsp. butter over low heat in a large pot until transparent. Add fiddleheads and a little salt and pepper, stir for around five minutes until tender. Remove five or so of the fiddleheads, carefully slice them each into two cross-sections and set aside. These are for garnish. Add 5 cups broth, rice, and sage. Simmer until rice is soft (about 10-15 min.)

Purée soup in a blender in small batches, until it’s all been blended and it’s smooth. Return all soup to the big pot. Over low heat stir in the heavy cream and sour cream, add a little more broth until it’s the consistency you want. Bring to a boil, whisk in remaining tbsp. of butter. Add lemon juice, stir. Serve in small bowls, garnish each with a fiddlehead cross-section.