Springtime Pasta
You can add some chicken to this dish as well if you are looking for a heartier meal.
Ingredient: Fiddleheads
Photo by Jamie Cruz
- Description –
Some of you may not be familiar with fiddleheads. They are actually a fern that hasn’t unfurled yet for the season. They are a vibrant green in color and are coiled up into a circle. I find they taste similar to asparagus. Fiddleheads are definitely a sign on Spring!
- Preparation –
Fiddleheads need to be cooked and many cooking methods work with these little guys: boiling, steaming or sauteing (after a quick safety boil/steam for good measure) are my favorite.
- Storage –
Fiddlehead Ferns are delicate and will quickly become unusable so it is recommended to eat them up as soon as possible. Be sure to store them in a plastic bag in the fridge if you are storing them for short periods of time.
- Nutrition –
Fiddleheads nutritional value is great! They are full of fiber and high in iron, contain vitamins A and C as well as being a good source of Omega 3 and 6.
Fiddleheads are pleasing to the eye. This is a sculpture of a fiddlehead at the Saint John Arts Centre in New Brunswick, Canada by a sculptor named Jim Boyd. Who knew?
Recipes Using Fiddleheads
Crunchy Pickled Fiddleheads
From our friend Forager Chef Alan Bergo, the crunch of these fiddleheads brings me back to my childhood, when the risk of food borne illness from fiddleheads was not a big thing. My grandfather would take me foraging to our secret spot on the Merrimack River, and we’d saute them for only a minute or two before enjoying them. We lived to tell the tale. Mr. Bergo gives us a chance to enjoy the texture of the fiddlehead as it was meant, fresh and crunchy. I hope to venture to try a sweet version of these soon.
Sautéed Fiddleheads with Bacon and Leeks
This recipe emerged when I accidentally ran out of corn and substituted fiddleheads. I decided to write it up when I saw my husband, a man who does not typically enjoy fiddleheads, going back for seconds.
