The Fiddlehead

I’m heading down to LA for several days but I just wanted to share a quick recipe with you from last night’s dinner: sautéed Fiddlehead Ferns.

This was my first time eating them and certainly not my last. I’ve read articles comparing Fiddleheads to asparagus but, other than the fact that they're green, I can't agree. Their flavour is more delicate and their crunch, more substantial.

Fiddleheads are the young, tightly coiled leaves of the Ostrich fern. The springtime delicacy was eaten by Malseet Indians, who lived in what is now known as New Brunswick, and is believed to have been introduced into the colonial diet in the 1700s.

Today commercial Fiddleheaders harvest the leaves in parts of coastal Canada and the northeastern United States.

Some important things to note about the Fiddlehead: it can only be eaten when it is young and must be thoroughly cleaned and cooked prior to consumption. I gave them two cold water baths to get rid of the little brown skins. You also must be sure to snip off the brown parts of the stem.

I boiled them for 10 minutes in lightly salted water and then sautéed them in butter, garlic and a dash of soy sauce.

Delicious and nutritious – they’re a good source of potassium and also contain vitamin C, iron and niacin.

Comments

[Marc @ NoRecipes]

MMmm looks good. I like that you used butter and soy sauce, I'd never thought about that combo but I bet it works really well.

[Vicki]

Oh, I wish I could find fiddleheads here!

[RecipeGirl]

Well that's definitely a new one to me. I've never heard of Fiddleheads! I'll have to be on the lookout for them.

[Sheltie Girl]

These do look fabulous. Thanks for letting me know that they had to be cooked thoroughly, as I've been contemplating trying them out.

Natalie @ Gluten a Go Go

[Erinn]

I love it when I learn something new! I have never heard of fiddleheads before, they are gorgeous.
Thanks for broadening my culinary horizon.
Have fun in LA.

[syrie]

Hi Marc, yes the soy sauce is lovely with the garlic and butter and you only need a splash of it.

Thanks for visiting Recipe Girl hope you get to try them!

Thanks Natalie. Yes, it's really important to clean and cook them properly so you don't get toxic poisoning!

No worries Erin! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you get to try them out. LA was brilliant - a major binge!

[edamame]

Oh,An edible wild plant! I am called kogomi or kusasotetu in Japan. This is a very popular high edible wild plant. When I attach mayonnaise to kogomi which I boiled and eat and deep-fry it, I am very delicious.All dishes look very delicious! I am interested in the food culture of your country. And I support your site. If there is time, please come in my site. From Japan
http://food-soybean.blogspot.com/

[Erin]

What a great post! I grew up in Maine and I vividly remember picking fiddleheads with my uncle in the woods and bringing them home for my grandmother to clean and cook. That sounds so primitive doesn't it? Ha ha ... I promise we had cable and cars and computers too ;)