Pheasant Back Broth with Green Garlic, Fiddleheads, and Elm Samaras
A simple spring soup made with pheasant back mushrooms, wild spring vegetables, and wild onions or garlic. Adjust the ingredients to what you have on hand.
4oztwo cups pheasant back mushroom tender edges, thinly sliced about 1 inch long
3ozostrich fern fiddleheads and tender stems
½cupcooked wild riceoptional
Good pinch of ramp spice
Finishing garnish (pick one)
EVOO and lemon juiceramp pesto, or hot melted ramp butter
Instructions
Blanch the fiddleheads for 2 minutes, then drain, allow to cool, and cut the stems into pieces that will fit on a spoon.
Slice the bacon into ½ inch pieces and render out the fat in a small soup pot.
Add the green garlic and sweat for a minute or two.
Add the mushrooms and cook until wilted, a few minutes more. Add the broth, ramp spice if using and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add the fiddleheads, leftover turkey if using, and wild rice, cook for a few minutes more, adjust the seasoning for salt and pepper and adjust until it tastes good to you.
Finally, stir in the elm samaras, turn the heat off, and ladle the soup into bowls, garnishing with the oil and lemon, pesto, or sizzling ramp butter.