Roasted Asparagus and Fiddleheads with Parsnip and Sweet Potato

I had some of my favourite people over for supper last night.  Roasted Chicken is always a crowd-pleaser in my house, so we had that, and mashed potatoes, and some lovely roasted vegetables.  You may feel the same way I do about fiddleheads: I want to love them, but I need to grow up a little first.  Their incredibly short season means that I diligently give them a try, expecting rapturous delight each time.  This go-around, I decided to roast them alongside some of my favourite vegetables.  I had bought some spectacular asparagus harvested that day from Glad Gardens just outside Berwick (mine isn't quite ready yet, and I'm impatient) and I had the last of my Dad's parsnips in the fridge.  I cheated and threw in not-from-here sweet potato because I love it. Then I roasted everything with olive oil and voila: the perfect bridge between winter and spring. And I enjoyed every tightly curled emerging fern.

Roasted Spring Vegetables

1 large Sweet Potato, cut in 1" cubes
1/2 lb. Parsnips, cut in roughly 1" pieces
3 T. Olive Oil
1 t. Salt
1 lb. Asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1" lengths
1/2 lb. Fiddleheads, well rinsed and little brown ends trimmed off

Preheat the oven to 400.  On a cookie sheet, toss the sweet potato and parsnip with the olive oil and salt.  Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.  Take the sheet out of the oven and add the asparagus and fiddleheads to the pan.  Toss again, adding a little more oil if it looks like it needs it.  Place the vegetables back in the oven and roast for about 20-25 minutes more, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browned.

Pre-Dinner Refreshment