How to Cook Fidddleheads

Fiddleheads are the tightly coiled crozier of the Ostrich Fern that grows along river and stream banks of the Eastern Coast of the United States and Canada. When they first emerge, the tightly coiled fern resembles the head of a fiddle earning the name fiddlehead.These tender morsels are picked by the bagful and sold in local markets, or at roadside stands in early May. The preferred method of serving fiddleheads is steaming hot with a little melted butter. Did you know fiddleheads are a flavorful addition to common recipes, too? Try these variations for a change of pace.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fresh or frozen fiddleheads (cleaned)
• Butter
• Salt & pepper (to taste)

1. Boil or steam fiddleheads. Bring one quart of lightly salted water to boil in a medium pan. Add 2 cups of fresh, cleaned fiddleheads and return to to a boil. Reduce heat and maintain a slow boil. Boil for approximately 10 minutes until the fiddleheads are fork tender. Do not overcook. Overcooked fiddleheads get mushy and slimy and lose the delicate flavor they contain when cooked properly. When properly cooked, fiddleheads should be tender, but firm to the bite.

2. Drain and serve with melted butter and a little salt and pepper, if desired. These are wonderful as a side dish with chicken, beef or pork.

3. Cook and chop fiddleheads and add to Alfredo sauce to make delicious Chicken Alfredo. Simply chop cooked fiddleheads into coarse pieces and add to the sauce. Heat through to blend flavors.

4. Add fiddleheads to soups and stews for added nutrition and to heighten flavor. You can chop the fiddleheads prior to adding them to stews, but it is not necessary. Whole fiddleheads can be added and will cook right in the soup.

5. Stir-fry fiddleheads and chicken. Fiddleheads can be stir-fried in a little oil with chicken breast strips. Simmer in a little chicken flavored Wyler's Better Than Bullion or mushroom sauce until tender and serve over rice or noodles. Chicken flavored bullion mixed with a package of mushroom gravy mix makes a wonderful sauce that blends the flavors of chicken and fiddleheads.

6. Use fiddleheads in any recipe that calls for fresh veggies. They are especially flavorful in mild sauces like Alfredo or other seasoned white sauces. They are great with Parmesan and Cheddar cheese sauces, but do not blend well with American cheese. Spice up your family favorites by adding a few fiddleheads for color and flavor.

Tips & Warnings

• Fiddleheads must be thoroughly cleaned before cooking.
• Fiddleheads should not be eaten raw. Flooding waters can contain bacteria that may cause illness if fiddleheads are not fully cooked.

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