Fiddlehead tips?

[MelissaAS]

Challenge of the day: While adventuring in the local supermarket last night, I couldn't resist buying some produce I'd never seen before: fiddleheads. They look like little curled-up plants and are really adorable, but I'm not sure what to do with them! FYI, the dictionary.com definition: "The coiled young frond of any of various ferns, some of which are considered a delicacy when cooked. In this sense, also called crosier."

Delicacy ideas, anyone? I'll also try epicurious.com...

[sneezles]

Found this one at Epicurious.com:

STEAMED FIDDLEHEADS WITH HORSERADISH SCALLION SAUCE

1 pound fiddleheads (available seasonally at specialty produce markets
and some supermarkets), cleaned
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon drained bottled horseradish, or to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallion green

In a steamer set over boiling water steam the fiddleheads for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and transfer them to paper towels to drain. In a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, the mayonnaise, the lemon juice, the mustard, the horseradish, the scallion, and salt and pepper to taste, whisking until the sauce is smooth, and serve the fiddleheads topped with the sauce.

To clean fresh-picked fiddleheads
Snap off the crisp, bright green fiddlehead tops from ostrich ferns, leaving about 2 inches of stem attached. Rub off the dry brown casings by hand or put the fiddleheads in a wire salad basket and whirl the basket outdoors to remove the casings. Let the fiddleheads soak in a sink half full of cold water, changing the water several times to remove any grit or casing particles, and drain them. The fiddleheads keep, covered and chilled, for 1 week.

Serves 4 to 6.


Gourmet
May 1992







A Cook from Beverly Farms, Massachusetts on 06/07/99
I liked the sauce better when I doubled the scallions, added wilted spinach, and had it over linguine with a bit of parm.

Joyce Weatherly ( joyceweath@aol.com ) from Baltimore, Maryland on 05/18/99
From the local gourmet grocery, the seldom available spring greens required multiple washings to rid them of the gritty sand. They have a very green taste and benefit greatly from hot peppers and garlic. I suspect they are best picked from your own wooded backyard.


And this one:

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOUT

1/2 pound fiddleheads,* cleaned (procedure follows)
1/2 pound "baby" pattypan squash,* trimmed
1/2 pound baby carrots,* trimmed
3/4 cup shelled fresh peas
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 pound pearl onions, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute, peeled, and trimmed
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 pound fresh morels,* washed well, patted dry, and trimmed
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
1 large garlic clove, minced


*available seasonally at specialty produce markets and some supermarkets

In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the fiddleheads for 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and transfer them to paper towels to drain. In the kettle boil the squash and the carrots for 3 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer the vegetables with the slotted spoon to the bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and transfer them to paper towels to drain. In the kettle boil the peas for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are just tender, and drain them.

In a large heavy skillet combine 2 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, the thyme, the bay leaf, 1/4 cup of the broth, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the morels, halved lengthwise or sliced crosswise, and 1/2 cup of the remaining broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the morels are tender. Add the fiddleheads, the squash, the carrots, and the remaining 1/4 cup broth and simmer the mixture, covered, for 1 minute. Add the peas, the parsley, the mint, and the garlic, simmer the ragout, covered, for 1 minute, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits, stirring until the butter is just melted. Discard the bay leaf and season the ragout with salt and pepper.

To clean fresh-picked fiddleheads:
Snap off the crisp, bright green fiddlehead tops from ostrich ferns, leaving about 2 inches of stem attached. Rub off the dry brown casings by hand or put the fiddleheads in a wire salad basket and whirl the basket outdoors to remove the casings. Let the fiddleheads soak in a sink half full of cold water, changing the water several times to remove any grit or casing particles, and drain them. The fiddleheads keep, covered and chilled, for 1 week.

Serves 6.


Gourmet
May 1992

[SandyM]

From FoodTV:

fiddlehead fern

Definition: A young, edible, tightly coiled fern frond that resembles the spiral end of a violin (fiddle). It is also referred to as ostrich fern and pohole. The shoots are in their coiled form for only about 2 weeks before they unfurl into graceful greenery. Fiddlehead ferns are a rich, deep green color and are about 2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. They have a flavor akin to an asparagus-green bean-okra cross and a texture that's appealingly chewy.

Fiddleheads can be found throughout the eastern half of the United States, ranging from as far south as Virginia north to Canada. They're available in specialty produce markets from April through July, depending on the region.

Choose small, firm, brightly colored ferns with no sign of softness or yellowing. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, for no more than 2 days. Fiddleheads should be washed and the ends trimmed before being briefly cooked by steaming, simmering or sautéing. They may be served cooked as a first course or side dish or used raw in salads.

Fiddlehead ferns are a good source of vitamins A and C.

--Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

[AndreaU]

I only just found out about fiddleheads last summer- my SIL had them one night for dinner. She simply sauteed them with butter and garlic. Since then, I see them all over the place now. There is even a local restaurant called Fiddleheads!

[Gypsy120]

Hmmmm. Fiddleheads are delicious and yoyu can only get them in the spring. Boiled and served with alt and pepper and butter. Yummy.