I almost missed fiddlehead season but was able to get out Sunday and collect a few that were still curled up tight.
I’ve heard there are a few edible species but we only harvest the ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris. I love them lightly battered and fried (after blanching) or pickled to go in bloody marys.
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We had some Japanese friends over a couple weeks ago and I found a box at my local fruits and vegetable shop. Cooked those up with some nice steaks on the barbecue and it was amazing.
Lucky! I’ve never seen them for sale here and most people I talk to don’t even know they’re edible
Well if you can forage for them, get about four big handfuls, cut the stem close to the curl. Then here’s how I cook them:
- Get two pots of water boiling. And keep one bowl of ice water aside.
- blanch the fiddleheads in the first pot for 5 minutes.
- then using a metal frying scoop, scoop them out and transfer to the second pot and blanch for another 5 min.
- then transfer to the ice bath to stop them from cooking further.
- heat a pan on medium heat and add butter
- saute the fiddleheads
- serve with salt and pepper
So good. I’ve been meaning to get out as well. I had some friends get a huge haul on the weekend.
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The ones in my front yard went from non-existent to fully uncurled in like 3 days. I missed my window again this year after vowing to get them this year after missing them last year.
That’s a bummer. I was worried we’d find the same and almost did. One warm spell and they just shoot up.
I waited one day too long I think. Our yard is always behind the rest of the neighborhood. I think it just jumped up from the warm day
Tasty! I don’t have any edible ferns in my area but I was thinking of trying to grow some in my garden.
I planted a few a couple years ago that had been uprooted by an overzealous road grader. They’re still going strong but haven’t spread yet. In the woods we usually find them growing close to the road where they can get out from under the tree canopy a bit.
Lucky! I haven’t had any luck finding them this year. They are delicious fried.
