Sautéed Cattail Shoots with Butter and Lemon

From the garden

• 1 lb cattail shoots, peeled down to the tender pale cores · spring to early-summer stalks
• 1 tbsp chives or parsley, chopped (optional)

From the pantry

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 lemon · zest and juice
• salt
• black pepper

1. Clean the shoots: working from the base, strip away the outer green layers of each stalk until you reach the pale core that's tender enough to dent with a fingernail. Rinse well and cut into 2-inch lengths.
2. Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat until it foams. Add the shoots and a pinch of salt and sauté 4–6 minutes, tossing often, until just tender with a little bite left. They overcook quickly.
3. Off the heat, add the lemon zest, a good squeeze of juice, black pepper, and the herbs if using. Toss once.
4. Serve hot. They sit in for asparagus next to fish, chicken, or eggs.