Fiddleheads
Spring
in Canada means fiddlehead season.
Fiddleheads are the curled, edible shoots of (Ostrich) Fern. They are
collected in the wild and sold as a seasonal vegetable in stores or outdoor
markets during May.
The fiddlehead has to be one of the world’s finest greens. Members
of the First Nation Tribes introduced it to the first settlers, when their
food supplies vanished in Spring. McCain Foods in New Brunswick has done
such a great job of promoting its frozen fiddleheads that many customers
think New Brunswick is the only part of North America where this deli-cacy
grows. These curled baby fern heads are widely found in the Maritimes,
New England, Quebec and Ontario. They are seen in early spring along riversides
and lightly shaded woodlands.
Spring Forest Photo: Wolfgang Kemma
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Harvesting: It’s best to pick them when they are just emerging from the damp soil – four or five inches high at most, tightly coiled so they resemble the tuning head of a violin, with the curled portion still partly covered in brown, scaly membrane. |
Harvesting
It’s best to pick them when they are just emerging from the damp soil, four or five inches high at most, tightly coiled so they resemble the tuning head of a violin, with the curled portion still partly covered in brown, scaly membrane. Break them off as close to the ground as possible with your fingers. If the stem has fur or a lot of brown scale attached to it, you have the wrong kind of fern, not a fiddlehead.
If you decide to gather fiddleheads yourself, take along an experienced forager. Always make certain a few healthy fronds are still standing on the plant from which you are picking.
Even if all types of ferns go through a fiddlehead stage just prior of unfurling their new leaves, not all ferns are safe to eat.
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Fiddlehead Pie: 4 Eggs 1 cup Milk 1 cup Fiddleheads, cooked Chopped 2 tb Leeks - chopped,cooked 1 tb Parsley, chopped 1 cup Cheddar cheese, mild 1 Pie crust , partially baked 9 Or 10" 8 Whole cooked fiddleheads Beat the eggs with the milk until blended. Fold in the chopped fiddleheads, leeks, and parsley, and half of the grated cheese. Season with salt to taste. Turn into the partially baked shell and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Decorate the edge with whole fiddleheads. Bake in a preheated 350^ oven for 40 minutes, or until set. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. |
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Recipes
by : L.L. Bean Book of New England Cookery
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Cooking Fiddleheads:
Clean them by rubbing off the scale with your hands. Remaining scale will
come off when you rinse them before cooking. Fresh fiddleheads should
be washed in several changes of cold water. Cover fiddleheads well in
cold water, salted to taste, and bring to a boil. Cook until they are
tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve piping hot with butter and a sprinkle
of lemon juice. They can also be used in cream soups.
Fiddleheads should also be boiled or steamed prior to frying or baking.
Marinated Fiddleheads:
3/4 cup vinegar
1 1/3 cups salad oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
4 teaspoons dry mustard
Whisk together and chill
Cook two to three pounds of fresh fiddleheads, or prepare two packages
of frozen fiddleheads according to package instructions. Place them in
a bowl and pour marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for 2 or 3 hours.
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Photo:
Archiv
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FIDDLEHEAD RECIPES
FROM NB
http://www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/en-CA/hnspringfiddleheadrecipes.htm
FIDDLEHEAD OMELETTES
http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=8136
FIDDLEHEAD CASHEW
STIRFRY
http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=8136
FIDDLEHEAD EDDBAKE
& SMOKED SALMON
http://www.canadianhomeandcountry.com
NOVA SCOTIA SPRING
RECIPES
http://novascotia.com/en/home/whattodo/foodandwine/default.aspx