Weird Vegetables: Fiddleheads

Food 2 Minutes

Foraged from the ostrich fern, fiddleheads are the plant’s young shoots that look like tiny scrolls popping out of the dirt. Only available for a short window of time during the spring, they are a delicious delicacy with many devoted fans who can hardly wait for fiddlehead season. Fiddleheads are foraged from the wild in certain parts of the U.S. and Canada where they’re also most often consumed. Some foragers sell them to markets, making them available to more people. Best when simply prepared by sautéing or steaming right after harvest, fiddleheads offer a charming taste of spring for simple dishes.

What Are Fiddleheads?

Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled tips of ferns that are eaten cooked. These delicate delights are available only in early spring when ferns grow their new shoots. The young fern fronds are mainly available by foraging or at farmers markets.

The fiddleheads eaten in North America are from the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). Other ferns can be toxic, so never forage without an experienced guide. It’s also important to harvest just a few fiddleheads in a cluster or the fern could die. Lucky for fiddlehead fans, ostrich ferns are fairly common, especially in temperate woodland areas and near streams. They grow in dense clumps, from the northern plains states to the east coast of the United States and throughout most of Canada.

It’s not necessary to forage them yourself because fiddleheads may be found at markets that specialize in wild foods. They are not widely available, however, and are expensive due to their short season. Fiddleheads require little preparation beyond a thorough rinse. They are best lightly cooked, whether sautéed, steamed, or boiled, and can be served as a light side or on top of a dish.

How to Cook with Fiddleheads

To prepare fiddleheads, start by removing any of the papery brown skin and trim away any brown stem ends. Wash them thoroughly to remove any dirt from the fronds. A good way to wash them is to fill a sink with cold water and submerge the fiddleheads, swishing them around to loosen any dirt. Depending on how dirty they are, you might have to fill the sink again and repeat the process.

The next step is to boil the fiddleheads. This stage of cooking is for the purpose of deactivating the toxin, so even if you plan to roast or sauté the fiddleheads, don’t skip this step. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the fiddleheads, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Then drain the fiddleheads and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let them cool until they’re no longer warm to the touch, then drain again and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Fiddleheads cooked this way will be tender but will retain their crisp, snappy bite.

Instead of boiling, you can steam them in a steamer basket for 10 to 12 minutes, then chill in the ice bath and drain as described. When steamed, fiddleheads have a slightly more bitter flavor than when they’re boiled, similar to broccoli rabe. Steamed or boiled fiddleheads can be served as-is or sautéed.

SOURCE: The Spruce Eats.com

Unknown's avatar

Published by pat frederick

Published

128 thoughts on “Weird Vegetables: Fiddleheads”

    1. lol…i am a picky picky eater…so no. hubby might–he likes all kinds of “salad things”. i like lettuce. lol occasionally I eat a little spinach with my lettuce. he will put everything in his salad.
      how’re things going with your mom’s surgery still on track for the 20th?

      Liked by 1 person

      2. The surgery ugh I had to cancel it.

        They never called me back after the test in February. I had called again. Nothing. They said they messaged me. Nope.

        So pre op was going well last week but the cardiologist hadn’t said yes or no.
        So today a week later the cardiologist office calls me back wanting another test. I’m like you could not have told me this months ago.
        Tests are backed up and then he wants to see her again and I can’t get that in in a week.

        Then the test referral wasn’t there and I was stuck calling all kind of numbers.

        It’s a mess. Moms pissed because her knee hurts.

        Plus it’s always one more test. I have a feeling they want to do something else before the knee but FFS say that and don’t drag it out.

        Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.