When I was a kid, fiddleheads were something that came pickled in a jar that my dad would eat and I would watch, frightened. They were up there with capers for me, veggies that come from mysterious and unknown places preserved in pickling liquid. As an adult wandering the woods of BC, imagine my surprise to discover these green bundles on my walks and realize, wow, that is what those are?! Unfurled fronds? Cool!
Still, until last week, I had never eaten a fiddlehead in my life. After hearing about the crazy amount of health benefits (they have double the amount of antioxidants than blueberries) of fiddleheads on the CBC, I asked my Facebook foodie friends if they liked them. I was shocked to discover many people did not just like them, they loved them! I was surprised and realized I had been missing out. Thanks go out especially to my dear friend Kenora who helped me learn the basics of cooking fiddleheads.
Apparently the key is making sure the fiddleheads are clean. I filled a deep-ish bowl with water and added the fiddleheads and swished them around to let any grit fall to the bottom of the bowl. I did this three times as well massaging the centers a little too. I trimmed the ends and they were ready to cook. Seriously, no big deal.
I got out a little saucepan and added some water, the steamer and then the fiddleheads. I covered the pot, brought to a boil, reduced the heat a little and steamed for ten minutes.
I removed the basket, dumped out the water, put the fiddleheads back into the pot and added some butter, salt and pepper.
This made the perfect side dish to my goat cheese and sundried tomato omelette. When I went to taste the first one, I will admit, I was afraid. I thought the texture was going to be weird, the flavour unpleasant and was I ever surprised! It tasted like green beans to me. Spirally green beans.
That was what I was afraid of?! Good grief! So silly!
I bought one serving of fiddleheads for less than a buck. Considering they are not in season for very long and are a nutritional powerhouse, this week I went back for more. I am tired of missing out and am so glad that people encouraged me to try fiddleheads and help me realize that they really are food.
I am not afraid of them but I have never made artichokes before. The first time I saw them on a plate for a meal I thought it was a joke. I thought to myself, who eats pinecones?!
Are there food fears that you still have?
I’ve never met a fruit or vegetable I didn’t like, except perhaps coconut. I grew up with frozen this and canned that, so fresh vegetables are still new and surprising to me at times. As a kid I hated beets. This was a deeply-rooted hatred going back to my earliest memories. There were family jokes… it was a big deal. When I started gardening and growing vegetables in my 20’s, I decided to grow chioggia beets because they looked so pretty in the seed catalogue. Lo and behold, I loved them! It was pickled beets I’d been so angry at all those years. I had never tasted a fresh beet until then, and, once I did, it was a new favorite. Something similar happened with turnips just last year. Next? Fiddleheads!
Congrats on facing this fear! I know I thought fiddleheads were weird when I was a kid too, growing up in New Brunswick, and now I look forward to them every spring. I add a little vinegar with the butter, salt and pepper, too. Delish! Nice post 🙂
Fiddleheads are also my fear; I’ve never tried them (and as a Maritimer, I’m ashamed to admit it). Now artichoke hearts, on the other hand, are lovely!
Ok, I’ll try fiddleheads too!
I’ve never eaten fiddleheads (but they’re pretty scarce on the prairies, LOL!). Good to know they taste just like spirally green beans! So now if I ever get the chance to try some, I will.
They are SO pretty! I’d never even heard of them until recently. I would definitely try them given a chance. I’ve never seen them around here, but I may just not have noticed!
I can’t think of a specific food fear I have. I once said (many years ago now) that I would never eat sushi. A brave friend finally got me to try, and it is one of my favorite things now! So… I’ll pretty much try anything once. Can’t guarantee I’ll like it, but I’ll try! 🙂
I love how you prepared them – they sound so GOOD! & how fun that you ‘faced your fear!’
My former hubby is a biologist, & one of the ‘vows’ I had to make was to try things if he said they were edible (he was very good at ID 🙂 – we didn’t like fiddleheads when we tried them – they tasted too much like peach pits – but more recently I learned that we may have been eating a different fern – still edible, but not as good!
Nettles are one of my very favorite foods – & ‘just barely cooking’ – like spinach, takes the sting out – mmmm delish!
I will try about anything – that I know is edible – at least once!
The NW natives ate camas bulbs – lily/onion family – they pit roasted the bulbs, which helps with texture (rather slimy if sauted) – they’re quite good, but the flowers are such a heavenly blue that I hesitate to ‘waste’ them by eating the bulbs!
yay! fiddleheads! i can remember picking them as a kid in New Brunswick along the bas of the river in spriing. they are my ultimate comfort food. Also greatwith a dash or 2 of vinegar. I want to find a great recipe for a creamy fiddlehead soup at some point. yay suzie for trying something new!
A favorite Springtime veggie for me and they’re great in a pasta dish. Cheers!