Brook Trout and Fiddleheads

I woke up this morning dreaming about trout and fiddleheads. I swear I could smell the brookies cooking. Fact: It's January, 20 below and snowing. Dream: May...Fish along an icy brook for a few 8 inch trout and then fill a creel with fiddleheads. Head home... cold, wet and hungry to cook up this "rite of spring" meal. Four more months.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 6  brook trout, cleaned with heads removed (8 in.)
• 4  tablespoons flour
• 4  slices bacon
• 3  cups  fiddleheads, cleaned (ostrich ferns Matteuccia struthiopteris)
• 6  cups water
•  salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Boil 6 cups of water in a large sauce pan.
2. Add fiddleheads, cover and set on stove to cook on medium for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon strips in a large cold cast iron fry pan.
4. On medium-low heat, cook bacon until crisp.
5. Crumble bacon and set aside.
6. Remove bacon grease from pan and save.
7. Clean cast iron pan thoroughly.
8. Set aside.
9. Place flour in a bag.
10. Place washed trout in the bag 2 at a time and shake until fish are coated in flour.
11. Place cast iron fry pan over medium heat.
12. Add bacon grease and heat for 30 sec.
13. Add trout and cook one one side for three minutes until crisp.
14. Turn and cook other side for three minutes.
15. Drain fiddleheads.
16. Place trout on a hot platter and serve.
17. Serve fiddleheads with the choices of butter, cider vinegar and crumbled bacon on the side.
18. A great meal with a loaf of peasant bread and a pot of hot tea.