Fiddleheads are the shoots of the Matteuccia fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), also called ostrich feather fern. In English it owes its name to the resemblance to the ornamental curl at the end of the violin neck. Typical of the spring season, fern shoots have a delicate taste reminiscent of asparagus. They are easy to prepare and store, but require special attention so as not to run into food poisoning. This article explains how to properly cook fern sprouts in two different ways and how to avoid the risks.
Ingrediants
- Fern shoots
- Waterfall
- Oil or butter (if you want to sauté the sprouts in a pan)
- Butter, salt and pepper
Steps
Step 1. Wash the fern shoots
Rinse them thoroughly under running water, then place them in a bowl filled with cold water. Carefully remove the brown outer membrane residue, then rinse it again. The shoots must be completely clean and a nice bright green. Check again that you have removed all the remains of the membrane.
Attention: fern shoots must be cooked to make them edible! They cannot be eaten raw unlike other vegetables. There have been many cases of food poisoning associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked fern shoots.
Step 2. Cook the sprouts using one of the methods described below
Step 3. Serve them with butter
If you decide to eat them hot, season them with ingredients with a delicate taste and remember that when cooked they are even tastier. You can take a cue from these tips:
- When cooked, add a sprinkle of vinegar on the sprouts;
- Serve them as an appetizer on toast or croutons;
- Let them cool in the refrigerator, then serve them in a salad with onion and seasoned with a vinaigrette;
- You can use fern sprouts in almost any recipe where asparagus is normally used.
Method 1 of 3: Steam the Fern Sprouts
Step 1. Place the fern sprouts in a steamer basket
This type of cooking helps to preserve its delicate flavor.
Pour the water into the bottom of the pot or steamer and make sure it doesn't come into contact with the sprouts
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil
Steam the sprouts for 10-12 minutes, until tender.
Method 2 of 3: Boil the Fern Sprouts
Step 1. Bring the water to a boil
Fill a pot with enough water to completely cover the fern shoots.
Step 2. Add a pinch of salt
When the water reaches a full boil, add a pinch of salt.
Step 3. Put the sprouts in the pot
Wait for the water to boil again. From then on, let them cook for 15 minutes.
Method 3 of 3: Sauté the Fern Sprouts in the Pan
Step 1. Heat the oil
Use a neutral-tasting oil, such as seed or grapeseed oil. Heat it in a skillet over medium-high heat. You can use butter if you prefer, but be careful not to heat it too high as it has a lower smoke point than oil.
Step 2. Skip the fern shoots only after they are cooked
They should be boiled or steamed before tossing them in the pan. Cooking them in a pan is not enough to avoid food poisoning.
Step 3. Cook the sprouts until they begin to brown
Add salt and garlic or thinly sliced shallots to taste. Let the sprouts cook for another minute.
Step 4. Serve the sprouts and eat them before they cool
Advice
- The buds of the Matteuccia fern have a diameter of about 2-3 centimeters and can be identified thanks to the brown membrane with an almost papery consistency that covers them, with a smooth stem and a deep "U" -shaped furrow inside.
- Make sure you identify the sprouts correctly. There are many varieties of ferns, but only the shoots of the Matteuccia fern are edible. Other varieties may appear similar, but they may be unpleasant to the palate or toxic.
- The fern sprouts that you can find in stores are of safe provenance. You have to be very careful if you wish to collect them yourself.
- Sprouts need to be rolled up tightly. If they are partially unrolled or old, do not eat them. In any case, show them to an expert before you decide to eat them.
Warnings
- Make sure the fern shoots are safe and controlled. Generally, those that can be found in shops and supermarkets have been subjected to strict controls, but it is always best to ask the shopkeeper questions about where they come from. If it comes to grown sprouts, check that the farm does not use chemicals that are harmful to health and that it is not located in a heavily trafficked area.
- If you want to harvest wild herbs, you must always make sure you have identified them correctly before eating them.
- Fern shoots must be fully cooked to be edible. If they are not cooked properly, they will taste unpleasant at best. However, it must be considered that they contain a toxin (shikimic acid) that should be avoided ingesting: it causes several side effects, including nausea, vomiting, dysentery and abdominal cramps.
- Fern shoots are born in spring. In order not to compromise the environmental balance it is important to collect a maximum of 3 shoots of the 7 generally present, otherwise the plant will die.
