How to pick & cook fiddleheads:
picking fiddleheads
If it looks like a fiddlehead- it is. Fern leaves first emerge curled tightly into buttons called fiddleheads. Pluck them before they unfurl into giant fronds (or pick them up now at the farmers’ market, most grocers…) Store in cold water.
Pluck the fiddlehead as it first emerges.
place in cold water, boil, drain, repeat twice more
Fiddleheads are mild-tasting. They’re full of EPA omega-3 fatty acids & high concentrations of antioxidants. Also vitamins A & C, potassium, iron & calcium.
No need to clean them- just cover with cold water in a pot and bring to a boil. As soon as the boil is reached, drain the water.
Repeat 2 more times: cold-boil-drain.
Fiddleheads will be perfectly cooked & cleaned. The water from the first 2 drains will be brown but the third time it will be green.
serve with lemon &/or butter
Season with lemon (I’m out of fresh) or butter and pepper or tamari.
Side with boiled eggs, fish, chicken or ham. Good in fried rice; cold salads with lemon, diced peppers & pickled red onion.
So good…a distinctive taste of spring in my area of the world.
