Signs of Spring in Canada: Fiddleheads
A Truly Indigenous Canadian Delicacy
Fiddleheads look like the scrolled handle on a violin head and are actually the sprouts of the ostrich fern, harvested just as they are poking through the ground in early spring. These sprouts -- coils about one and a half inches in diameter and about two inches long -- are harvested within two weeks, after which they unfurl into the fern plant. Fiddleheads are one of Canada's few indigenous vegetables, and one of my favourite signs of spring, and summer to come.
To me, the taste of fiddleheads is something like a cross between broccoli and asparagus, with a bit more of a nutty or woodsy flavour. They are simply delicious and crunchy, with that 'fresh greens' sensation, steamed and topped with a bit of lemon juice and butter, or in stir-fries or cheesy casseroles.
Buying Fiddleheads
Fresh fiddleheads can be found in your local grocery store and farmers' markets April through early June, depending on where you live. Look for firm, tightly-coiled, bright looking fiddelheads. They're best used within a few days of picking, so use them within a couple days of buying.
Better yet, use some right away and store some for winter:
- boil fiddleheads for 3 minutes, then chill completely under cold running water
- pat them dry and lay the fiddleheads in a single layer on parchment paper and put in the freezer until they're solid
- seal the frozen fiddleheads in meal-size portions in freezer bags and use within 6 months
Cooking Fiddleheads
The Recipe for Travel's Canadian Recipes Index features fiddlehead recipes along with other uniquely Canadian fare.
A few quick-tips for preparing fiddleheads for cooking:
- scrape off the brown scales under cold running water
- poke a finger gently through the middle of the coil in both directions under cold running water to release sand and grunge and then reshape into their flat coil shape
- trim off the stem ends just before cooking - cut just above where they become fibrous and tough
Fiddlehead Toxins
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), fresh fiddleheads have an unidentified natural toxin in the fern of the plant that could be the cause of some reported cases of 'food poisoning' symptoms experienced after eating raw or undercooked fiddleheads.
The CFIA recommends thoroughly cleaning and thoroughly cooking fresh fiddleheads:
- wash fresh fiddleheads in several changes of cold water.
- boil fiddleheads for at least 15 minutes or steam for 10 to 12 minutes (until tender).
- fiddleheads should also be boiled or steamed prior to sauteing, frying or baking.
- discard the water used for boiling or steaming fiddleheads because it may contain the toxin.
I've actually seen several write-ups about fiddleheads -- each one different in its recommendation about whether or not fiddleheads can be eaten raw. I love them cooked, so why risk it?
