Fiddleheads a Wild Edible ~ How to prepare and cook Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads ~ A spring delicacy

Fiddleheads a Wild Edible ~ How to prepare and cook Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads ~ A spring delicacy

I'm always so excited when its Fiddlehead Season. In this video I will show you how easy it is to properly prepare and cook Fiddleheads. They are a Spring delicacy. 

I did buy these at my local Food Store, you can also forage them. Please make sure you know which type of Fiddleheads you are picking as the wrong ones are toxic. I learned about Fiddlehead foraging years ago from a  Wild Edible class I took.

I would not pick them unless you know 100% which Fiddleheads you are picking. 

I'm using Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads (Matteuccia struthiopteris) which are a Wild Edible    

These are the only Fiddleheads that I have been taught about that are edible.

DO NOT EAT RAW FIDDLEHEADS as they contain a trace amount of Toxics and you can get very sick.

They must be fully cooked before eating them.  

Make sure you are 100% sure which Fiddleheads they are if you Forage them yourself.

They are available at some Food Stores and Farmers Markets late April- May and sometimes early June. 

I don't know what other Fiddleheads are safe to eat besides Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads. Please do your own research if you plan to forage them in your area. 

Is it toxic? Eating raw or improperly cooked fiddleheads can cause symptoms of foodborne illness. The cause is likely an unidentified natural toxin in fiddleheads. 

Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion and may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and headaches.

More Information on Fiddleheads:

https://www.nnepc.org/regional-news/fiddleheads-how-to-safely-enjoy-a-seasonal-treat

⏰ Time Stamp 

📓 Video Chapters

0:00 Intro 

0:10 What are Fiddleheads? These are Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads ~ (Matteuccia struthiopteris) which are editable

0:20 When are Fiddleheads available? Where do Fiddleheads grow?

0:32 Never eat Raw Fiddleheads as they are Toxic. Only forage Fiddleheads if you are 100% sure which type of Fiddleheads they are

Where to buy Fiddleheads?

0:49 What do Fiddleheads taste like? Fiddleheads make a great side dish

0:57 Preparing the Fiddleheads ~ It is very important that they are fully cooked before eating.

1:49 How to cook Fiddleheads

2:11 Optional adding Lemon Juice and Zest

2:26 Outro ~ Delicious Fiddleheads

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Fiddleheads are Ferns before they unfurl into Full Ferns. 

All Ferns have a Fiddlehead Stage. These are Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads. These are the

only Wild Edible Fiddleheads that I was taught about in my area. Please research before Foraging Fiddleheads.

Fiddleheads are available for a short time ~ Usually Late April to May and sometimes early June.

Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads grown in New England from Rhode Island to Maine and into Eastern Canada.

DO NOT EAT RAW FIDDLEHEADS as they contain a trace amount of Toxics and you can get very sick. 

Make sure you are 100% sure which Fiddleheads they are if you Forage them yourself.

They are available at some Food Stores and Farmers Markets.

Fiddleheads taste like a combo of Broccoli, Asparagus and Spinach. They make a great side dish.

In the video I am using 3/4# of Ostrich Fern Fiddleheads.

Go thru the packages of Fiddleheads and remove any bad/rotten ones.

Place the Fiddleheads in a Bowl filled with Cold Water and swish around. Soak for a few minutes to remove

the dirt. Drain in a colander.

Cut the brown tips of each Fiddlehead.

Use a medium size Sauce Pan, fill with water and bring to a boil.

Add the Fiddleheads and boil to 10-15 Minutes or until Tender.

It is really important that the Fiddleheads are thoroughly cooked. The water will get very dark.

I like my Fiddleheads to be on the Softer side. I boiled mine for the full 15 minutes.

Drain in a Colander and rinse the Fiddleheads.

Heat a Non-Stick Skillet to Medium High

Add 1-2 Tablespoons of Butter

Minced Garlic to Taste

Add the Fiddleheads, Season with Salt and Pepper to Taste

Sauté for 3-5 Minutes

Optional: Which helps the flavors to pop and taste so fresh

Add a Splash of Lemon Juice and a little Lemon Zest

ENJOY!!

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🎼 MUSIC CREDIT: 

On My Way Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Thanks for watching,

Peace ~ Love and Joy

Always be humble ~ Always be kind

Brenda ~ NaturesFairy