kbn :: The Kosher Blog | Koshirts | Kosearch.org | ShopKosher.net
The Kosher Blog Network
Finding the finer side of everyday kosher living
General

Fiddleheads!

By elf
Published May, 22 2006 9:38 pm
E-mail this entry
RSS 2.0 Comments
Trackback

Last week, DH and I had a chance to sample what is perhaps the only kosher New England delicacy: fiddleheads! (No, it’s not always spelled with an exclamation point.) Fiddleheads are edible ferns with an extremely short growing season. They get their name from their shape, which looks like the handle of a fiddle:

Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads

Handle of Fiddle

Handle of Fiddle

In flavor, fiddleheads most closely resemble the dark outer leaves of an artichoke, though there is also some resemblence to asparagus. To prepare fiddleheads, first rinse them under running water, rubbing off the papery outer layer, if it is still attached. Cut off the ends, then plunge the fiddleheads into rapidly boiling water for about five minutes and drain. After that, you can marinate them, saute them with garlic, or do what we did: eat a bunch plain and put the rest in a salad.

Yum :)

(Cross-posted to Apikorsus.)

9 comments so far (Post your own)
1.At 9:41 am on May 23rd, 2006, velorutionary wrote:

It is a difficult flavor to describe, and everyone has their own version of what it tastes like, ranging from green beans/broccoli stems, to mushroom/asparagus/artichoke… They are wonderful, nevertheless.

A few tips on how to get these clean, as they are a royal pain otherwise:
1) Rinse thoroughly.
2) rub fiddlehead in a towel, this loosens the outer layer and hopefully removes it.
3) Blanch the Fiddleheads in a pot of boiling water, TWICE, each time for 2-3 minutes. The second change of water is quite important and eliminates much of the negative earthy (dirt) flavors.

In NYC they are available at Union Square greenmarket, for about 3-4 bucks per pint container.

A woman selling them at Greenmarket told me that she serves Fiddleheads sauteed in breadcrumbs, and her kids love it. Persoanlly, I like to sautee them in olive oil (or butter) with garlic, or ramps. Ramps are in season in early spring, as well.

2.At 1:07 pm on May 23rd, 2006, Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) wrote:

May i suggest Edible Wild Plants of Eastern/Central North America? I never tried fiddlehead ferns, but the wild-raisin fruits, raspberry relatives, and cattail-plant-on-the-cob were pretty good ;-) . Still haven’t gotten around to making red sumac lemonade, though.

3.At 1:36 pm on May 23rd, 2006, HB wrote:

Are you sure they are kosher? Did a Rabbi check them for bugs?

4.At 2:13 pm on May 23rd, 2006, Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) wrote:

HB:

Of course they’re kosher, they’re plants. It’s the bugs that aren’t kosher, and you don’t need to be a rabbi to check for them.

5.At 3:58 pm on May 23rd, 2006, HB wrote:

I understand that it’s the bugs that aren’t kosher. Looking at fiddleheads, however, they are curled up in such a way as to perhaps have bugs that one wouldn’t neccessarily see without close inspection.

As to whether one needs to be a rabbi to properly inspect them, I agree that one does not. HOWEVER, if you have seen previous threads on Kosherblog, you will see that there are those here who think that rabbinic inspection is required (or at least detailed instruction from and continued oversight by a rabbi.)

6.At 1:02 pm on May 24th, 2006, elf wrote:

HOWEVER, if you have seen previous threads on Kosherblog, you will see that there are those here who think that rabbinic inspection is required (or at least detailed instruction from and continued oversight by a rabbi.

There’s a difference between fresh produce and commercially processed prodcuts, or cooked dishes from a restaurant. If you’re not the one doing the checking, it’s logical to want someone qualified (a rabbi) to make sure that it gets done. I don’t think that anyone here would assert that you need rabbinical supervision in your own kitchen.

Anyway, here some guidelines for insect checking from the Star-K. (Of course, there are differing opinions on the details.) IANAR, but I would think that the best way to inspect fiddleheads would be the method used for cluster vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower).

7.At 3:45 pm on May 1st, 2008, Cheryl wrote:

Are all fiddlehead ferns edible? I have collect some before, but now my friend has picked some that a local told him were edible, but they don’t look exactly like the ones I have gotten. They don’t have an onion skin like on them more of a fuzz. Can anyone assist me in this before he tries to eat them. Yeah, I wouldn’t mind keeping him healthy for a while. thanks to anyone who responds.

8.At 12:37 pm on May 12th, 2008, nick wrote:

Fiddleheads do not have fuzz on them, I would recommend your friend not to eat them. Fiddleheads are smooth, dark green, premature ferns with a tan colored coating or skin on them, witch must be removed by rubing or washing before cooking. The ones with fuzz on them grow in the same area as fiddleheads, but should not be mistaken as fiddleheads. They are light green with a complete coating of white fuzz, and are not edible asd far as I know. I hope this helps.

9.At 6:49 pm on May 25th, 2008, shane wrote:

yesterday night i had a load of the fiddlehead-like plants with the fuzz. so far nothing has happened to me and my buds have been eating them wild almost every night for the past two weeks. we just break of the head and bottom of the stem. keep the middle of stem. wipe off all the fuzz, throw em in boiling water with some salt. they have the exact taste of the salty kind of green beans with the exact texture of asparugus, ( upper stem soft, lower more stringy). so in my opinion theyre fine to eat. just test some on your toungue etc as with all wild plants to be eatin.

Post a comment