Cook Fiddleheads



Fiddleheads are ferns that have not unfurled yet. They have a taste similar to asparagus and are very easy to cook.

Ingredients

 * Fiddleheads
 * Water
 * Cooking oil or butter if frying
 * Butter, salt to taste

Steps

 * 1) [[Image:Fiddleheads 6324.jpg|thumb]]Correctly identify a fiddlehead. While there are many varieties of fern, the ostrich and cinnamon fern are the only two that are edible and safe to eat. Other varieties of fern may look similar, but can be poisonous. Fiddleheads available in grocery stores are safe to eat, but care should be taken if you are foraging for these greens on your own. The fiddleheads should be picked when they look like the photograph above. The fern fronds should be tightly curled. If the fronds are old and more unfurled, or just do not look like the above photograph, do not eat it. Please read the Health Canada's Food Safety Advisory on fiddleheads: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2009/2009_79-eng.php
 * 2) Place the fiddleheads in a bowl of water and swirl to wash thoroughly. Remove any yellow or brown skin.
 * 3) Remove the fiddleheads from the water, taking care to avoid the particles floating in the water. Do not eat fiddleheads raw like other vegetables! They must be cooked to be edible; some people may become ill by eating raw fiddleheads.
 * 4) Place the fiddleheads in boiling water to blanch for 15 minutes; or steam for 10 - 12 minutes.
 * 5) Fry for a few minutes in a frying pan with butter or oil if preferred, provided that they have been boiled or steamed first.
 * 6) [[Image:Pan-Roasted-Chicken-Breasts%2C-Garlic-Mashed-Potatoes%2C-Fiddlehead-Ferns-and-Sauce-Supreme-1236.jpg|thumb]]Enjoy with butter and salt, or in a recipe. (Almost any recipe calling for asparagus will work well with fiddleheads.)

Video
Note that the video suggests slightly less cooking time than the Canadian Food Inspection Agency suggests.

Warnings

 * Fiddleheads must be thoroughly cooked before eating. At best, they taste terrible if cooked incorrectly. There is a toxin, known as shikimic acid, in fiddleheads when they are raw, undercooked, and is quite potent when the plant is out of season. Sickness from fiddleheads can include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
 * Always be sure you positively identify wild vegetation before eating.
 * Be sure your fiddleheads come from a reputable source. Grocery stores usually are completely safe, but ask your greengrocier about the source to be cautious. Fiddleheads are often "cottage industries" in local regions, so if you are buying from a local, make sure that individual has a good reputation. Fiddleheads gathered wild close to roadsides can have pollutants in them.
 * Fiddleheads are often harvested in early spring, and only three out of the seven fiddleheads of a plant should be picked, or else the plant will die.

Things You'll Need

 * Bowl for washing
 * Saucepan or frying pan
 * Spatula

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Eat Yucca
 * How to Eat Maple Seeds
 * How to Eat Prickly Pear Cactus
 * How to Test if a Plant Is Edible