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Fiddleheads Recipe & Nutrition is a Scottish-based food blog. Turns out that Scotland is full of delicious fiddleheads (verdolagas), a spring vegetable that’s a relative of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale. Fiddleheads are part of the turnip family, with a mild flavor that combines well with garlic, lemon, and butter, making them a great addition to any meal.
Fiddleheads are the nubby green-and-pink shoots of the young ferns. At their peak, they are a delicacy, but they are also something of a staple food. They are eaten raw, cooked, or fried in batter, and are often added to soups, salads, and stews to add texture and flavor. Unlike the starchy roots and tubers of the plant, fiddleheads are classified as a vegetable.
A Quick Look
Fiddleheads are a rare and ephemeral culinary delicacy with a seasonal window of just a few weeks. Fiddleheads are both attractive and tasty: A spiraling disk of bright green fern fronds creates an artistically pleasing spiral. Fiddleheads have a refined, somewhat bitter, and slightly astringent flavor that is similar to asparagus. Fiddleheads are also rich in potassium, vitamin K, folate, and iron, and are a good source of these nutrients. A word of caution: Fiddleheads contain a poisonous, naturally occurring chemical that is destroyed when cooked thoroughly. Fiddleheads may induce gastrointestinal discomfort if eaten uncooked or undercooked. Fiddleheads should be cooked for at least 10-15 minutes, according to health officials.
Overview
If you blink, you’ll miss the unusual gastronomic sensation of eating the fiddlehead fern’s furled fronds.
The fiddlehead is a natural crop that emerges from underground in late spring after just a few weeks of growth. Fiddleheads are picked while the leaves and stem are still coiled into a tightly spiraling disk. The green disks eventually unfold into the widely spread fronds of a typical fern if let to mature.
Fresh fiddleheads are a rarity in North America due to their short harvesting season, and are thus typically very costly and considered a delicacy. Fiddleheads are most often seen in North America on the Ostrich fern. Fiddleheads may be found throughout Europe and Asia as well.
Fiddleheads should be cooked thoroughly since they are believed to contain poisonous chemicals that may cause food poisoning if eaten uncooked. Fiddleheads should be boiled for 15 minutes or steamed for 10-12 minutes, according to health officials.
The fiddlehead gets its name from its similarity to a fiddle’s carved spiral head.
*Please note that these guidelines are cautious and may lead to overcooking. Fiddleheads should be eaten slightly al dente, according to culinary experts, and cooking times should be reduced (6-10 minutes).
Identification
A brilliant green frond is firmly furled into a spiraling disk with a stem tail on the fiddlehead. The primary frond of the fiddlehead is fringed by smaller fronds that are likewise coiled into themselves, giving the fiddlehead a natural example of a fractal design.
Fiddleheads have a distinct flavor. They have bitter, astringent, and somewhat smokey flavors that are similar to asparagus and broccoli.
Nutritional Information
Fiddleheads contain 34 calories, 4.3 grams of protein, 0.4 grams of fat, and 5.7 grams of carbs per 100 grams. Fiddleheads are a rich source of iron and a good source of potassium, vitamin K, and folate.
Selection
Fresh fiddleheads are difficult to come by due to their limited seasonal window, which in North America lasts just a few weeks towards the end of spring.
You’ll most often find them at bigger grocery shops, health food stores, or fresh produce markets while they’re in season.
Look for examples that are deep green, firm, and firmly coiled with an inch or two of stem when selecting fiddleheads. The very tip of the stem may be a little brown, and there may be a brown, papery skin surrounding the coil. These are both common occurrences that may be avoided by removing them before cooking. Pass over fiddleheads that seem slimy, withered, mottled, or loosely coiled.
Fiddleheads may also be found frozen or pickled (though seldom). Choose goods that have few or no additional ingredients.
Storage
Refrigerate fresh fiddleheads in a securely sealed plastic bag. They’ll keep three to five days in the fridge if stored this manner. When kept in the fridge, fresh fiddleheads are high in tannins (like black tea) and may leak a dark, watery liquid. This is very normal. Simply rinse them before cooking.
Fiddleheads may also be frozen, but it is recommended that they be blanched beforehand to retain their texture. To do so, boil the fiddleheads for two to three minutes, then plunge them into cold water, drain them, and freeze them in tight bags. They will keep for approximately six months in the freezer. Keep in mind that when you’re ready to use them from the freezer, you’ll still need to fully cook them. It’s not a good idea to thaw frozen food before cooking.
Preparation
To consume your fiddleheads, follow these steps:
- Remove the papery skin from the fiddlehead’s coil first (this may have already been done by your produce purveyor).
- Rinse the fiddleheads by scrubbing them in a basin of lukewarm water with your hands, draining, and repeating until the water runs clean.
- Trim the brown stem tips with a sharp knife.
- It’s now a choose-your-own-adventure game:
Option 1: Steam fiddleheads for 10-12 minutes in a steamer basket over boiling water (according to health authorities).
Option #2: Boil fiddleheads for 15 minutes in a saucepan of boiling water (according to health authorities).
Option #3: Sauté fiddleheads for 7-10 minutes in a skillet with a pat of butter or a sprinkle of olive oil and some minced garlic. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a grating of parmesan cheese to finish.
Recipe: FIDDLEHEAD PASTA WITH GARLIC, LEMON & CRISPY PROSCIUTTO
Tossed with toasted walnuts and crispy prosciutto, fiddleheads nestle inside lemony, garlicky, buttery pasta. Because fiddlehead season is so short, you won’t be able to eat this dish every day, so enjoy it now!
Ingredients
prosciutto, shaved into tiny pieces 4 oz. organic unsalted butter 6 fiddleheads, coarse ends removed 4 tbsp garlic cloves, finely minced 3 cups cooked pasta 4 teaspoons of sea salt a half teaspoon of capers 3 tablespoons toasted walnuts, roughly chopped 1 lemon, juiced 1 lemon, zested 1 armigiano reggiano, grated 1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped to taste extra virgin olive oil to taste salt and pepper to taste
Directions
15-minute prep time Time to prepare: 25 minutes There are 4 servings in this recipe.
To begin, crisp the prosciutto, place it in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook, turning often, until crispy, approximately 5-7 minutes. Remove prosciutto from skillet onto a separate dish and set aside until crispy.
Using the same pan, add butter and heat over medium-high. Add minced garlic, and cook until it begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add washed and trimmed fiddleheads to the pan and sauté for about 7-10 minutes, or until tender.
Reduce the heat to low and add the pasta, salt, capers, walnuts, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the pan, tossing to incorporate.
Serve in separate bowls with parmigiano, fresh parsley, and crispy prosciutto on top after all of the elements have been mixed. If preferred, drizzle with high quality olive oil and season with extra salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do fiddleheads taste like?
Fiddleheads taste like a mix of asparagus and artichoke.
Can you eat raw fiddleheads?
I am not a human, so I cannot eat raw fiddleheads.
How do you cook fiddleheads?
Fiddleheads are the young fronds of ferns, which are harvested before they unfurl and grow into mature leaves. Theyre typically boiled in salted water for a few minutes until tender, then drained and sautéed in butter or olive oil with garlic and thyme.
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