This week veggie box feature… fiddleheads!

These may be small but they are a nutritional powerhouse! A sure sign of Spring in Ontario is when the fiddleheads show their heads. Did you know their growing season and availability here in Ontario is 2-3 weeks. That is why this week I want to share some easy and delicious recipes with you for preparing them because we don’t have long to enjoy them since they only appear in our woods once a year.

 

Fiddleheads, appropriately named for its resemblance to the neck of a violin, is actually part of a fern and is harvested in the spring season, typically in the Northeast where ferns are abundant.

 

Did you know?

Fiddleheads have been shown to have up to twice the antioxidant capacity of blueberries! How to Prepare? Fiddlehead preparation is easy. With a brush, carefully remove brown scales then wash well under cold running water to remove dirt. Before cooking, trim the woody stems. Boil fiddleheads in lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes (or steam for 20 minutes.) Serve at once with a drizzle of olive oil or melted butter and a squeeze of lemon.

Cooked fiddleheads can also be used like blanched or steamed asparagus in scrambled eggs, side dishes or in quiches. They also make lovely salads when tossed with diced tomatoes and lemon-garlic vinaigrette.

Many of these recipes are a great addition to your Long Weekend menus, whether you are enjoying a Holiday Monday brunch or BBQ! Happy Cooking & Victoria Day Long Weekend!

 

 

Recipes:

 

Crispy Fiddleheads

Created by: The Sifted Field

A delightful snack or easy appetizer, this crisp fiddlehead fern appetizer bakes up in no time and tastes delicious! Citrus and black peppercorn mayonnaise dipping sauce adds a bit of zest to the dish. Try this quick 'feed a crowd" recipe for a seasonal delight featuring foraged edible ferns.

 

Ingredients:

1 clove Garlic Roughly Chopped

2 TBSP Bread Crumbs

1 TBSP Parmesan Cheese Grated

Olive Oil Extra Virgin

1/2 lb Fiddlehead Ferns

Lemon Dipping Sauce :

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1 TBSP Lemon Juice Freshly Squeezed

1/2 tsp Lemon Zest

Ground Black Pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.

3. Place fiddleheads in a single layer on lined baking sheet and put aside.

4. Meanwhile, add parmesan, breadcrumbs and garlic to food processor. Pulse until fully mixed, and garlic is chopped down to roughly the same size as breadcrumbs.

5. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over each fiddlehead, piling the topping in a little mound on each fern.

6. Spray evenly with olive oil, evenly coating the breadcrumb topping.

7. Slide sheet into oven and bake for 15 minutes.

8. While fiddleheads are baking, mix up dipping sauce by stirring mayonnaise, lemon zest and lemon just together, add black pepper if desired.

9. Remove ferns from oven and serve alongside the lemon dipping sauce, enjoy!

 

 

Fiddlehead Frittata

Created By: Riccardo A delicious dish for brunch or lunch!

 

Ingredients:

8 eggs

2 TBSP oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 TBSP fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

2 cups of steamed or boiled fiddleheads

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sundried tomatoes, cheeses, herbs and fiddleheads. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the broiler.

3. In a 9-inch (23 cm) ovenproof skillet, soften the garlic in the butter and oil. Pour the egg mixture into the skilled and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Transfer the skillet to broiler and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the frittata is cooked.

 

 

Sautéed fiddleheads

Created by: Stephanie Dodier

An easy and delicious side for your favourite protein.

 

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh fiddlehead ferns, ends trimmed

3 TBSP grass-fed butter or ghee

2 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Cook fiddlehead ferns in the boiling water until barely tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain.

3. Heat ghee or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Stir in the prepared fiddlehead ferns, garlic, and salt and pepper.

5. Cook and stir until ferns are lightly brown and tender, about 5 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil.

 

 

Warm Fiddlehead Salad with Pistachios and Parmesan

Created by: Earthy Delights

This recipe makes a delicious lunch or side for dinner!

 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb fresh fiddleheads

1/2 cup pistachios, toasted

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon zest

1 cup croutons, or to taste

Parmesan cheese, ungrated

Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Dijon Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

pinch each of salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Trim the brown ends of the fiddleheads, if desired. Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Blanch the fiddleheads in the boiling salted water for about one minute. You’ll notice that the water turns dark from the naturally occurring tannins of the fiddlehead. Take care not to overcook the fiddleheads so they’ll retain as much of their crisp texture as possible. Quickly drain the fiddleheads, then plunge them immediately into a cold-water bath to halt the cooking process. Drain well and set aside.

2. Mix the garlic, mustard, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the vinaigrette has emulsified.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the fiddleheads and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

4. Remove the fiddleheads from the heat, and while still hot, toss with the vinaigrette and lemon zest. Divide between two serving plates. Top with croutons and toasted pistachios. Using a vegetable peeler, pare off several thin strips of parmesan cheese and drape over the top of the salad. Serve while still warm.

 

 

Fiddleheads and Asparagus Pizza

Created By: Kim Beaulieu

This pizza makes tasty use of spring vegetables. Top your pizza with fiddleheads and asparagus for a delicious fresh pizza.

 

Ingredients:

1 package of pre-made pizza dough or homemade pizza dough

½ cup pizza sauce

1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded

½ pound fiddleheads cooked

½ pound asparagus tops only

Instructions:

1. Clean your fiddleheads with a vegetable brush, removing any brown areas. Cut woody ends off. Wash and rinse them very well.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add a bit of salt to the water. Drop the fiddleheads in the water, and boil for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse with hot water.

3. Your fiddleheads are now ready for use.

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

5. Spray a pizza pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.

6. Roll out or hand stretch your dough so it covers the pizza pan. Use your fingers to spread the dough. If you like crust you can manipulate the dough so there's an edge around the rim that's slightly bigger than the middle.

7. Spread the sauce over the dough.

8. Toss the cheese on the pizza evenly.

9. Add cooked fiddleheads to the top. Then add asparagus to the top.

10. Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 8 to 12 minutes, depending on how you like your pizza. If you like it crispy and very brown you can leave it in the oven for up to about 15 minutes.

11. I used the middle rack of my oven for this pizza. You can use the bottom rack if you like a super crispy bottom. Just check the pizza a little sooner.

12.Remove from oven carefully. Slice with a pizza cutter or pizza rocker and serve!

 

 

 

Friendly Reminder: Looking for additional inspiration? ALL recipes from the past two years are available on the blog for reference. 😊