1. Fiddleheads are the young unfurled leaves of an ostrich fern.
2. Fiddleheads are only available for a few weeks each year.
3. Fiddleheads are delicious.
And most people I've talked to have never heard of them. We get odd looks when it comes up in conversation that we eat ferns.
According to University of Maine Cooperative Extension Publications Bulletin #4198, Facts on Fiddleheads (http://umaine.edu/publications/4198e/) fiddleheads can be found "emerging in clusters of about three to twelve fiddleheads each on the banks of rivers, streams, and brooks in April and May." We've had a cold rainy spring, so I'm guessing that's why we're seeing fiddleheads in June this year. As for taste, I'd describe them as a cross between green beans and asparagus. But without the funny smelling pee the next day. According to John, they are "a bit earthy."
Both Wikipedia and umaine.edu note that fiddleheads are especially popular in Maine. Ah ha... Mainers eat them... that may explain the odd looks. I ate fiddleheads growing up (in Connecticut) but then moved to the Midwest for a decade, where people eat fried cheese curds and turkey testicles, and forgot all about them. It wasn't until I moved back to the east coast and married a guy whose family hails from Maine that I rediscovered this wonderful veggie.
Fiddleheads are popular with foragers and the University of Maine website cautions people to secure permission before harvesting. While we love locally grown food, foraging is not something that sounds exciting or appealing to either John or I. It sounds buggy. And damp. And time consuming. Unless you're talking about the type of foraging done at Stop and Shop - digging though the stack of eggplant to find the one that hasn't been beaten with a mace prior to arriving at the store. Then we're great at that. Or the foraging done at the farmers market for the most awesome kale ever! (Because so often the farmers market is SO "all kale" "all the time" much the way TNT is 'all Law and Order" "all the time.") If, like us, you are not a forager, fiddleheads can be found at your local supermarket. We've purchased them at Big Y and Stop and Shop. We typically prefer Big Y for produce, but when it comes to fiddleheads, Stop and Shop has been coming out on top.
The umane.edu website also suggests serving fiddleheads with melted butter or vinegar. I'm only mentioning this because I would like to know what the heck is up with Mainers and vinegar? They put it on everything - most notable in our house - on brussels sprouts. I'm not saying it isn't tasty... it's just odd. Another suggestion from the umaine.edu website is "They may be served, like asparagus, on toast." Ummm... What? Is this a Maine thing too?
Growing up, we ate them steamed, which is the way most recipes online recommend cooking them. John, however, being the mental dude that he is, can't just make them the same way again and again. So here's what we (the royal we, of course) did:
I'm guessing these were washed to remove any scales (husk type brown dried stuff) but I wasn't really paying attention at that point. They were steamed for about 12 minutes.
During that time, some diced onion and a few smashed garlic cloves were sauteed in butter. I love red onion but we rarely use it. John used it in this dish, just for me, and it looks so pretty! Some lemon juice, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper (fairly course) and tarragon also went into the saute, but I was cleaning my camera lens and missed all that.
When the onions were soft and starting to get clear (but not caramelized - very specific instruction from the husband), in went the steamed fiddleheads. After combining everything, shredding Parmesan was added and everything was tossed until one consistent temp was reached.
Finished product!
These were super tasty, with a great contrast between the earthy fiddleheads and the sharp Parmesan. Anyone heard of fiddleheads? What do you think of them? How would you cook with them?
2. Fiddleheads are only available for a few weeks each year.
3. Fiddleheads are delicious.
And most people I've talked to have never heard of them. We get odd looks when it comes up in conversation that we eat ferns.
According to University of Maine Cooperative Extension Publications Bulletin #4198, Facts on Fiddleheads (http://umaine.edu/publications/4198e/) fiddleheads can be found "emerging in clusters of about three to twelve fiddleheads each on the banks of rivers, streams, and brooks in April and May." We've had a cold rainy spring, so I'm guessing that's why we're seeing fiddleheads in June this year. As for taste, I'd describe them as a cross between green beans and asparagus. But without the funny smelling pee the next day. According to John, they are "a bit earthy."
Both Wikipedia and umaine.edu note that fiddleheads are especially popular in Maine. Ah ha... Mainers eat them... that may explain the odd looks. I ate fiddleheads growing up (in Connecticut) but then moved to the Midwest for a decade, where people eat fried cheese curds and turkey testicles, and forgot all about them. It wasn't until I moved back to the east coast and married a guy whose family hails from Maine that I rediscovered this wonderful veggie.
Fiddleheads are popular with foragers and the University of Maine website cautions people to secure permission before harvesting. While we love locally grown food, foraging is not something that sounds exciting or appealing to either John or I. It sounds buggy. And damp. And time consuming. Unless you're talking about the type of foraging done at Stop and Shop - digging though the stack of eggplant to find the one that hasn't been beaten with a mace prior to arriving at the store. Then we're great at that. Or the foraging done at the farmers market for the most awesome kale ever! (Because so often the farmers market is SO "all kale" "all the time" much the way TNT is 'all Law and Order" "all the time.") If, like us, you are not a forager, fiddleheads can be found at your local supermarket. We've purchased them at Big Y and Stop and Shop. We typically prefer Big Y for produce, but when it comes to fiddleheads, Stop and Shop has been coming out on top.
The umane.edu website also suggests serving fiddleheads with melted butter or vinegar. I'm only mentioning this because I would like to know what the heck is up with Mainers and vinegar? They put it on everything - most notable in our house - on brussels sprouts. I'm not saying it isn't tasty... it's just odd. Another suggestion from the umaine.edu website is "They may be served, like asparagus, on toast." Ummm... What? Is this a Maine thing too?
Growing up, we ate them steamed, which is the way most recipes online recommend cooking them. John, however, being the mental dude that he is, can't just make them the same way again and again. So here's what we (the royal we, of course) did:
I'm guessing these were washed to remove any scales (husk type brown dried stuff) but I wasn't really paying attention at that point. They were steamed for about 12 minutes.
During that time, some diced onion and a few smashed garlic cloves were sauteed in butter. I love red onion but we rarely use it. John used it in this dish, just for me, and it looks so pretty! Some lemon juice, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper (fairly course) and tarragon also went into the saute, but I was cleaning my camera lens and missed all that.
When the onions were soft and starting to get clear (but not caramelized - very specific instruction from the husband), in went the steamed fiddleheads. After combining everything, shredding Parmesan was added and everything was tossed until one consistent temp was reached.
Finished product!
These were super tasty, with a great contrast between the earthy fiddleheads and the sharp Parmesan. Anyone heard of fiddleheads? What do you think of them? How would you cook with them?
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