Most people associate Spring vegetables with asparagus, leeks, rhubarb, ramps, and peas. But for a very brief time, fiddleheads are sold at markets and grocery stores. They are the unfurled fronds of a young ostrich fern and are collected in the wild before the frond has opened. They are aptly named because they resemble the curled ornamentation (scroll) on the end of a stringed instrument, such as a fiddle. North American Indians were eating fiddleheads long before the arrival of the first Europeans. The Australian and New Zealand aborigines and the Japanese are also very fond of fiddleheads.
Fiddleheads needs to be cooked either by steaming or placed in boiling water (10 min or until soft) – do not under cook or you may become sick. Drain and sauté in melted butter with a splash of fresh lemon juice and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. This is a traditional way to eat a fiddlehead, however, there are oodles of recipes out there. A few years ago I posted one using gnocchi which did not disappoint!
1/2 pound fiddleheads, washed and cooked
1/2 red bell pepper, cooked (on bbq or pan-fried)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons sesame oil
8 to 10 asparagus stalks, cooked (on bbq, or steamed)
Roughly chop asparagus and red bell pepper (you can also use tomatoes). In a large bowl toss vegetables and then add soy sauce and sesame oil. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve as is or toss with pasta.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: Choose firm, bright-green, tightly-curled fronds with their little shells still intact. Eat only the curled head and a small portion of the green stem. Enjoy!
- ½ lb. fiddleheads, washed and cooked
- ½ red bell pepper, cooked (on bbq or pan-fried)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 8 to 10 asparagus stalks, cooked (on bbq, or steamed)
- Roughly chop asparagus and red bell pepper (you can also use tomatoes). In a large bowl toss vegetables and then add soy sauce and sesame oil. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve as is or toss with pasta.
- The Culinary Chase’s Note: Choose firm, bright-green, tightly-curled fronds with their little shells still intact. Eat only the curled head and a small portion of the green stem. Enjoy!
