Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.

Plain Pickled Fiddleheads

Plain Pickled Fiddleheads is a traditional Canadian recipe for a classic pickle of blanched fiddlehead ferns preserved in a spiced vinegar syrup. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Canadian version of: Plain Pickled Fiddleheads.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Makes:

1 jar

Rating:

Tags : Wild FoodVegetarian RecipesSpice RecipesCanada 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 them 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.

Ingredients:

400g fresh fiddleheads, cleaned, thoroughly rinsed and dried (Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, or Royal fern, Osmunda regalis, for preference)
cider vinegar
45g sugar per 1l vinegar
1/8 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/8 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp celery seeds

Method:

Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the fiddleheads and blanch for 1 minute then drain. Rinse in cold water then place in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until crisp-tender then drain and plunge into iced water (this helps maintain their crispness). Drain the fiddleheads and pat dry.

Pack the fiddleheads into sterilized jars then pour over enough vinegar to cover the fiddleheads completely. Pour this vinegar out of the jars into a non-reactive saucepan then add 45g sugar per 1l vinegar then add the spices. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 8 minutes.

Take the syrup off the heat, allow to cool slightly then pour over the fiddleheads. Seal the jars securely with vinegar-proof lids then place in a boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes to sterilize.

Store in a cool, dry, place.