This is a great fiddleheads recipe and a classic Chinese stir fry, with the marinade, stir fry ingredients and then a simple sauce. You will want to "velvet" the meat first -- this pre-frying step keeps the meat super tender -- and then bring everything all together in just a couple minutes. Trust me, this recipe is a lot easier than it looks. Just make sure you have everything prepped before you start, so you can just reach for things as you need them.
1/4cupramps,wild onions or scallions, sliced on the diagonal
SAUCE
1/4cupchicken broth
2tablespoonsShaoxing wine or dry sherry
1teaspoonsoy sauce
1/4teaspoonwhite pepper(black is OK, too)
1teaspooncorn starch
Instructions
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, then mix well with the shredded pork, making sure each piece is nicely coated. Set aside at room temperature while you chop the vegetables. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in another bowl.
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan to about 275°F -- not too hot. Working with about 1/4 of the pork at a time, fry the meat in the hot oil for 30 to 45 seconds, just to set the coating. Move to a plate and repeat with the rest of the pork. When you're done, remove all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil. (You can strain and reuse the oil 2 or 3 more times.)
Heat the remaining oil in the wok over very high heat on your hottest burner. When the oil is thinking about smoking, add the fiddleheads. Stir fry them until you get a little char on the edges of the fiddleheads, about 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the daylily buds or green beans and stir fry another minute. Add the pork, garlic and sliced green onions and stir fry 1 more minute. Finally, stir the sauce well so you get the corn starch (which will have settled to the bottom of the bowl) and pour it into the stir fry. Cook another 30 seconds or so and serve at once.
Notes
You can switch up the meat if you want. Chicken, wild turkey, grouse, quail, partridge -- even fish and shellfish -- are all good alternates. I'd stick to light colored meats here, but you could do duck or venison if that floats your boat.