Get thee to the farmer's market!
Fiddlehead ferns are here and you're not likely to find them at the grocery store. These tightly coiled little disks are one of our absolute favorite über-seasonal spring vegetables.
If you can get your paws on some, we've got some recipes for you to try.
To our minds, fiddlehead ferns taste similar to asparagus but with a texture more like a snappy green bean. You can cook them in all the same ways that you might cook asparagus, too, like blanching, sautéeing, or roasting. Just don't eat fiddleheads raw, as they can cause some very unpleasant stomach pains.
We like to add fiddleheads to any dish where they will shine, particularly risottos and pasta dishes. They also make a fun addition to salads and frittatas. Fiddleheads are also fun to pickle, should you find yourself with so many fiddleheads that you can't eat them all at once!
Some recipes to tempt your tastebuds:
• Steamed Fiddleheads with Horseradish Scallion Sauce from Epicurious
• Spring Linguini with Fiddleheads from Martha Stewart
• Pickled Fiddleheads from Fat of the Land
• North Sumatran Fiddleheads with Spicy Grated Coconut from Indonesia Eats
• Fiddlehead Fern and Morel Salad from The New York Times
Are you a fan of fiddleheads?
(Image: Flickr member GlennFleishman licensed under Creative Commons)
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I trust you that they are wonderful, but ferns give me the heebie jeebies. I can't stand their smell or touch, I don't know why.
How can you tell if they are good? I've seen them, but sometimes they are pre-packaged and I can't tell if they are super fresh. Help!
I love fiddle heads! They're great to eat grilled on salads as well as a little decor around the house! We had them in the flowers and boutineers at our wedding.
Anyone see these in New York yet? I've only seen them at Eataly and Dean and DeLuca so far...$18/lb.
How funny, right before I clicked on your site I was googling what to with the fiddleheads in my fridge that I snagged from the farmer's market. Thanks for the head's up!
I have a huge patch of ferns in my yard that have fiddleheads. There are enough that I could pick some but I don't know if they are the right kind.
Do you know if all fiddleheads are edible or is it only certain varieties?
@subtlefrog - Fiddleheads are SO seasonal, that I'm guessing that even packaged fiddleheads should still be pretty fresh. If you can feel them at all through the plastic, they should be pretty firm to the touch (like asaparagus) and not at all limp.
@jatoha - I've never harvested wild fiddleheads, so I'm not sure how to identify edible ones correctly. Anyone else have tips on that?
To answer some of the questions above, all fiddleheads are toxic. Ostrich ferns, which are the commonly eaten ones, are the least toxic. They usually are associated with GI signs, dizziness and headache. Bracken fern is the most toxic, if I'm remembering toxicology class correctly. They can also cause thiamine deficiency in monogastrics (humans, et al) if eaten frequently enough in sufficient quantities.
They're associated with aplastic anemia in ruminants, and I think there's some evidence that this might also be the case in monogastrics, but the effects are likely cumulative (at least they are in cattle, taking 1-3 months before we see onset of signs.)
There's some evidence that cooking them well may denature some of the toxins.
Not saying you shouldn't eat them, but moderation may be more than key with these. :)
I love fiddleheads!! They are amazing in pasta dishes but equally delicious on their own sauteed in butter and garlic. One of my favorite dishes is Fettuccine Alfredo with fiddleheads. Here is my recipe: http://munchinwithmunchkin.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/low-fat-fettuccine-alfredo-with-fiddleheads/
Emma: My mother foraged for fiddleheads as a child, but since I'm too lazy to call her, and thanks to the magic of the internet, here's a page on the topic with a video: http://umaine.edu/publications/4198e/
It should be pointed out that you've got to descale them, and wash these babies till the water runs clear. Even when you're boiling them, if the water starts to get murky, dump it, rinse them, and add more fresh water.
Fiddleheads are a huge deal here in New Brunswick (the province, not the city in NJ). We can get them at the grocery store fresh or frozen, at the farmer's market, or the more traditional "out of the back of some guy's truck on the side of the road". That's how you know they're fresh.
My parents argue over the better way to eat them - my mother's traditional butter and vinegar (she's a local), versus my dad's Greek-style lemon and olive oil. I think they're both delicious so I just alternate between the two!