Boiled Fiddleheads
Boiled Fiddleheads is a traditional American recipe for a classic wild accompaniment of fiddleheads (un-opened fern shoots) that are boiled and served with butter, salt and black pepper. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic American version of: Boiled Fiddleheads.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Wild FoodVegetarian RecipesUSA Recipes
Fiddleheads are the young shoots of fern plants and are considered a delicacy in New England, Canada and Japan. They are actually the young fronds of ferns that have not unfurled to open as yet. Typically they are foraged in the wild during the two week period from their first appearance and before they begin to open. The name itself refers to the shape of the curled fronds, which look very similar to the scroll at the end of a violin (of fiddle) neck. Commercial fiddleheads are typically
Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, whereas wild-foraged fiddleheads tend to be
Royal fern, Osmunda regalis. Common bracken (
Pteridium aquilinum) fiddleheads are also consumed, particularly in Japan, but I would not recommend eating these, as they are rich in the putative carcinogen,
ptaquiloside (most particularly in the young shoots) and this has been implicated in the higher incidence of gastric and oesophogaeal cancers in Japan. If you are picking fiddleheads, make certain that the scrolls are tightly curled and cut then within about 5cm of the stem beyond the scroll. Use your hands to remove the brown papery chaff encasing the head then wash in several changes of water to remove any dirt and debris. They are best consumed quickly after picking, but can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, pickled or blanched and frozen for later use.
Method:
Remove the chaff from the fiddleheads (see above), wash thoroughly then trim the stalks to be no more than 5cm long. Place in a pan, add about 60ml water, bring to a boil, secure a tight-fitting lid and cook for 2 minutes.
Take off the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes more. After this time, drain off any excess water. Turn into a warmed serving bowl, season with salt, toss with the butter and serve.