+- Cuisine at home Forums (https://www.forums.cuisineathome.com)
+-- Thread: Fiddlehead Ferns??? (/showthread.php?tid=134713)
Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Harborwitch - 04-20-2012
I found out today that our new food vendor had wonderful goodies - ramps, baby Chioga beets, and fiddlehead ferns. I've had the beets (and LOVE them) but I'm wondering - what are fiddlehead ferns like - do they taste like 'anything' else? Should I try them?
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Lorraine - 04-20-2012
I'd buy them in a heartbeat! We used to pick them in Quebec. they remind me a bit of asparagus. We used to wash them well in cold water to get rid of any grit, them blanch and shock them. I like them sauteed in butter and a bit of lemon juice. Some restaurants used to serve them with hollandaise. They are great in a stirfrys, or in a creamy pasta sauce. A friend of mine used to pickle them. The growing season can be very short, (depending on the weather), so we would buy/pick whatever we could and freeze them.
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - cjs - 04-20-2012
I had them once long time ago, but have never fixed them myself. They were part of a salad and very tasty. Quick cooking as Lorraine mentioned.
Just looked them up in FLC - their flavor is a cross between asparagus-green bean-okra.
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Harborwitch - 04-20-2012
I think I'll have her get me a pound. I'll have to watch the flyers that the FSA guy brings in - beautiful goodies, she won't buy them, but I can.
Thanks - Lorraine and Jean, as usual the best info!
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Old Bay - 04-20-2012
I think the season is about three weeks, so hurry.
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - farnfam - 04-20-2012
We have those growing in the woods. What are they supposed to look like when they're ready for picking? I would love to try some
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Lorraine - 04-20-2012
It's the Ostrich Ferns you want. There are two different kinds that grew in Quebec, one not edible. That would be the one that I picked two bags of.
The head should be tightly curled, and break off about one to one and a half inches of the stem. If you google it, you should get some good results as to what to look for.
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Harborwitch - 04-20-2012
These will be from our food service vendor. Would a pound serve 2?
Re: Fiddlehead Ferns??? - Lorraine - 04-20-2012
A lb will serve two of me.