So if you have always wanted to search for fiddleheads in The County, here is what you need to know. And remember, whatever it costs for that first meal of fresh fiddleheads in the spring, it is sooo worth it! And if you can add some fresh trout that someone has just caught…the only way it gets better is if you have some County potatoes to round out your meal!

Do's and Don'ts of picking fiddleheads:

• DO NOT trespass on someone’s property – seek permission to walk along that stream or wet area.
• DO NOT expect anyone (even your grandmother) to share the location of their fiddlehead patch.
• DO NOT forget that the local grocery will have some for sale and it might be the best picking! (No black flies). Now for the eating…

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What's a fiddlehead, anyway?

Fiddleheads are the furled (not yet opened) fronds of a young fern, specifically the Ostrich fern (a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids as well as iron and fiber) not Bracken (carcinogenic and toxic if not fully cooked!). Do not eat fiddleheads raw or undercooked. Back in the 1990s, raw or lightly cooked fiddleheads were implicated in a food-borne illness outbreak and so it’s important to prepare and cook them safely.

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How to cook fiddleheads:

1. Remove any residual brown papery husk
2. Wash in several changes of cold water
3. Discard any unfurled or discolored fiddleheads, they should be tightly curled and bright green
4. The official guidelines say to boil them for 15 minutes. I’m not a fan of mushy fiddleheads so I usually boil them for ~8 minutes but you should use your own judgment here in terms of risk vs. taste.
5. Some ways to serve fiddleheads:
6. A very traditional method of preparing clean fiddleheads is to simply bring them to a boil in water, drain off the first water, cover with fresh water, add a small piece of salt pork, and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Drain well and serve. Put a pat of butter and a little vinegar on your serving. Delicious!

Cooked fiddleheads are a great addition to your favorite quiche recipe as they may be substituted for other vegetables, such as asparagus or broccoli.

Here are some other serving suggestions for cooked fiddleheads:

• Add a splash of vinegar to freshly-cooked fiddleheads.
• Serve as appetizers, on crostini or toast.
• Chill, and serve in a salad with onion and vinegar dressing. Actually, any vinegrette is wonderful on cooked, chilled fiddleheads.
• Almost any recipe calling for asparagus will work well with fiddleheads.

Fiddleheads have a similar texture to asparagus but without the asparagus taste. My friend’s favorite way to enjoy fiddleheads is to boil them and then lightly saute in a little butter with a very generous squeeze of lemon juice and pair with salty prosciutto. Here is her recipe.

• 1/2lb of fiddleheads
• 1 tbsp butter
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 6 wafer thin slices of prosciutto (~2-3oz)
• Sea salt and pepper

1. Remove any brown paper husk from the fiddleheads and discard any discolored or unfurled ferns
2. Place a pan of water on to boil. Wash the fiddleheads with multiple rinses of cold running water
3. Add the fiddleheads to the boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes (according to health authorities) or for less time at your own risk (I usually boil for ~8 minutes but I’m not advocating this risky behavior). The water will turn a weird brown color. I like to rinse the fiddleheads with fresh boiled water from the kettle.
4. Drain the fiddleheads in a colander. Rinse out the pan and return it to a medium heat. Add the butter, the drained fiddleheads, the lemon juice and lightly toss. Add a few good grinds of black pepper and a few pinches of sea salt (preferably Malden).
5. Place the fiddleheads on a warmed plate and drape a few slices of prosciutto alongside. Add an extra squeeze of lemon juice.

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Making them last - can you freeze fiddleheads?

Absolutely. Here is a suggested method:

Wash them thoroughly, steam them for about five minutes, and then try to dry them as much as possible (to prevent ice crystals forming). Place them into plastic bags or another storage container and remove as much air as possible. I think for the fiddleheads your best bet would be to use the large zipper-type bags so that you can roll them up to remove the air.

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Bonus recipe:

• Fiddleheads with Soy Sauce (quick and easy)
• 2 lb fresh fiddleheads or the equivalent in frozen
• ¼ cup good quality soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Trim the fiddleheads by cutting off some of the tough base. Put the fiddleheads in a large bowl of cold water and soak. Remove from the bowl and drain. Steam the fiddleheads for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Immediately remove from the steamer and toss with the soy and sesame oil. Place the fiddleheads in a bowl, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Enjoy your fiddlehead experience in The County, however you acquire this favorite spring morsel. We welcome you anytime, but fiddlehead season and fresh trout are incomparable. Come visit! And remember, only the fiddleheads of the ostrich fern are edible. Be careful if you’re a first-time picker.