Fiddleheads, or the furled fronds of a young fern, might be one of the most alluring of vegetables, available only fleetingly every spring. The taste is strong and distinctive—some say it’s like a cross between asparagus and spinach, others that it’s more like grass or nuts. Most say that the fiddlehead tastes like springtime. See for yourself by trying one of the following recipes, or another that you come across, but for proper levels of enchantedness, be sure to clean and cook your fiddleheads— boil them for at least fifteen minutes before sautéing or otherwise preparing them.
![Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (1) Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
FIDDLEHEAD EDAMAME SALAD WITH ORANGE AND HAZELNUTS
Add some protein to make a meal of this hearty salad. The oranges, cheese, and hazelnuts help balance the fiddleheads’ unique, fairy-friendly flavor.
FIDDLEHEAD EDAMAME SALAD WITH ORANGE AND HAZELNUTS
(serves 4)
¾ lb. fiddleheads
1 cup edamame, cooked and shelled
2 oranges
¾ cup toasted hazelnuts
¼ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Trim the fiddlehead ferns, discarding any brown ends and mushy parts. Rinse and cook in lightly salted boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain, mix with edamame, and set aside.
Combine juice of half an orange and the olive oil in a small bowl, whisk together, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.
Peel and slice the other orange, removing the white pit and the inner segments, and set aside. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts.
Toss fiddleheads and edamame with orange juice dressing just before serving. Place on a serving dish and top with orange slices, toasted hazelnuts, and feta cheese.
![Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (2) Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (2)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
SAUTÉED FIDDLEHEADS WITH TOASTED BREADCRUMBS
The toasted bread crumbs add crunchiness and lemon adds a freshness to this simple yet delectable springtime side dish.
SAUTÉED FIDDLEHEADS WITH TOASTED BREADCRUMBS
(serves 4)
1 lb. fiddleheads
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
Trim the fiddlehead ferns, discarding any brown ends and mushy parts. Rinse and cook in lightly salted boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Prepare the breadcrumbs: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet, add breadcrumbs, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until lightly golden brown, stirring constantly. Add 1 garlic clove, minced, and cook for an additional minute. Take off the heat and season with ¼ cup parsley and lemon zest. Stir and set aside.
Peel and slice the other garlic clove. In a large frying pan,
heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat, add garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add blanched fiddleheads, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they start to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes.
Place fiddleheads on a serving dish, top with seasoned bread crumbs, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley.
Serve immediately.
![Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (3) Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (3)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
FLATBREAD WITH KALE PESTO, GREEN PEAS, AND FIDDLEHEADS
This recipe calls for lavash bread, but you can also use pizza dough or focaccia. Regular lemons are fine too. The many flavors here can temper the wild taste of fern for those less enamored.
FLATBREAD WITH KALE PESTO, GREEN PEAS, AND FIDDLEHEADS
(serves 4)
1 sheet lavash bread, 16 x 10 in. 15 to 20 fiddleheads
1 cup fresh green peas
1 leek
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil For the kale pesto
2 cups baby kale leaves, chopped 2 cups kale leaves, chopped
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup cashews
1 Meyer lemon, juice and zest ½ teaspoon chili pepper
½ cup chopped parsley Salt and pepper, to taste
¾ cup kale pesto 2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prepare the pesto: In a food processor, add sunflower seeds and cashews and process for about 30 seconds on high, until broken into crumbs. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Trim the fiddlehead ferns, discarding any brown ends and mushy parts, rinse and cook in lightly salted boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Thinly slice the leek, removing the dark green leaf and the root end. Peel and slice garlic. Heat olive oil in a large skillet, add chili pepper, garlic, and leek, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add fiddleheads and green peas, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add half the parsley and the juice of the Meyer lemon, and cook on high heat until it’s evaporated. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Place lavash bread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 3 minutes, turn over, and then spread it with pesto and top with the fiddlehead-peas mixture. Sprinkle with zest of the Meyer lemon and the remaining parsley, and bake for another 5 to 6 minutes until the edges of the flatbread are nicely browned.
Serve immediately.
![Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (4) Spring Time Fiddlehead Recipes (4)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
FAQs
Fiddleheads should never be eaten raw and should always be properly handled and thoroughly cooked. Symptoms of illness from eating raw or undercooked fiddleheads usually appear within 30 minutes to 12 hours of consumption and typically last for less than 24 hours but may last as long as three (3) days.
How do you prepare fiddlehead ferns to eat? ›
Cook fiddlehead ferns in the boiling water until barely tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in prepared fiddlehead ferns, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Can you freeze fiddleheads without blanching them? ›
Just give them a rinse before cooking. Fiddleheads can also be frozen, although it is suggested to blanch them before freezing in order to preserve their texture. You can do this by boiling the fiddleheads for two to three minutes, plunging them into cold water, draining them, and then freezing them in sealed bags.
What can a chef do to help reduce bitterness and toxins of fiddlehead ferns? ›
Boiling can help retain its color and texture and remove the bitterness. Discard all the water used to wash and prepare them. Fiddleheads can be baked or sauteéd, but must be boiled first!
What makes fiddleheads poisonous? ›
Below is information specifically about bracken fern, Pteridium aquilinum. Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants by Lewis Nelson et al. (New York Botanical Garden, 2007) says that all parts of the plant are toxic. The toxin is thought to be ptaquiloside, a sesquiterpene.
Why do fiddleheads cause food poisoning? ›
A number of foodborne illness outbreaks or food poisonings have been reported in Canada and the United States due to improper preparation of fiddleheads. The cause of these illnesses is from an unidentified natural toxin in the fiddlehead. Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion.
How can you avoid getting sick from eating fiddleheads? ›
Fresh fiddleheads must be cooked properly and should never be eaten raw. There have been cases of temporary illness in Canada and the United States associated with eating raw or undercooked fiddleheads.
How do you get bitterness out of fiddleheads? ›
Boiling them also leaches out the tannins so they are not bitter. Although you could forage for fiddleheads yourself in the forest, it's best that you leave this up to the experts. There are many other types of ferns out there that are poisonous and carcinogenic.
Why do fiddleheads turn black? ›
Although you can cook fiddleheads by simply putting them in a pan, it's not ideal as it's easy to overcook them, have them soak up too much oil, or turn black in spots from uneven heat. Blanch fiddleheads to keep them green. It helps them to cook more even too.
What are two vegetables that should not be blanched before freezing? ›
“Blanching” is recommended when preparing almost all types of vegetables for freezer storage. Vegetables are placed in boiling water to partially cook them and then immediately transferred to cold water to stop the cooking process. Peppers, onions, leeks and rutabaga do not need to be blanched.
While fiddleheads can stay in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, it's best to eat them within a few days for maximum freshness and quality. You can also blanch and freeze fresh fiddleheads if you want to enjoy them later in the season. Frozen fiddleheads keep for up to one year.
What are the side effects of eating fiddlehead ferns? ›
Eating raw or improperly cooked fiddleheads can cause symptoms of foodborne illness. The cause is likely an unidentified natural toxin in fiddleheads. Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion and may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and headaches.
Can you eat fuzzy fiddleheads? ›
Fiddleheads and their stalks can be eaten, but not fronds. The Osmunda fern fiddleheads both bear a fuzzy or woolly coating, which I used to distinguish them from the sought-after Matteucia's in my hunt.
How long do you cook fiddleheads for? ›
Cooking. Cook fiddleheads in a generous amount of boiling water for 15 minutes, or steam them for 10 to 12 minutes until tender. Discard the water used for boiling or steaming the fiddleheads.
Are there any poisonous fiddleheads? ›
Outdoor enthusiasts are at a high risk of poisonous side effects after ingestion of wild and raw edible fiddlehead ferns, such as the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and bracken (Pteridium genus) species, in the United States and Canada.
Why do you need to blanch fiddleheads? ›
Blanch fiddleheads to keep them green. It helps them to cook more even too. To blanch fiddleheads, put them in boiling, salted water for 1-2 minutes, then remove and allow to cool without putting them in an ice bath, which can cause them to discolor.
Do you have to blanch fiddleheads before cooking? ›
Raw or undercooked fiddlehead ferns have been shown to cause illness. Health officials recommend boiling your fiddleheads for at least 15 minutes or steaming for 10 to 15 minutes before sautéing to help reduce this risk1.