Conference turris::cooks

    Baby ferns. (Well, they're the curled-up tops of fiddlehead ferns,
    and are supposedly quite a treat.)
    
    I've tried them, and they make a tasty-but-mild vegetable dish, but I
    wouldn't go out of my way to get them. Cook them as any mild green
    vegetable; steaming, sauteed in butter, etc.
    
    -b

    
    Fiddleheads look just like what they are called, the head at the
    end of a fiddle, or violin.  They are indeed baby ferns.  It is
    important to notice that once the fiddlehead matures into a true
    fern plant, it is inedible.  
    
    I steam mine with a little white wine and lemon.  I use them as
    garnishes for summer soups or salads and sometimes serve them alone
    as a vegetable instead of, say, broccoli.  
    
    dM

    Fry em in beer batter.
    

    I really like fiddleheads, when I can get them (only once so far this
    season).  I usually boil or steam them, for about ten-fifteen minutes,
    until they are tender, and then serve them plain with a grating of
    pepper over them.  They have a fresh, mild flavor, sort of like mild
    asparagus, only better.  The important thing is to wash them real well,
    or even soak them.  They have a sort of powdery brown covering on the
    back sides of the fronds which makes the cooked ferns look kind of
    unappetizing otherwise - even if you wash them well, the water you cook
    them in will come out brown.  The fuzzy and powdery brown stuff is
    perfectly edible; it just doesn't look as pretty as the bright green of
    the ferns themselves.  Some people like a little butter on them.

    At the Worcester Men's Club, they used to serve a "Fiddlehead Soup"
    which was absolutely delicious. Sorry, though, I haven't the foggiest
    idea of how to make it. Of course, I had to dine in the "Ladies
    Dining Room" - AARGH!!
    
    Suegene
    

    When selecting fiddleheads can any variety of fern do?
    Are all fiddleheads edible?
    How about the ones in the woods or in the yard?
    
    Thanks in advance!
    Eileen
    

    expensive little critters though, beware !!!!
    
    idlewild farms in acton, ma had them a few weeks ago (round mother's
    day) and they were $6.00 a pound.  
    
    rumor has it countryfare star in stow, ma has them THIS WEEK for
    $2.49.
    
    fyi.
    

    They had two large boxes of them in the Stop & Shop, Westmeadow
    Plaza, Westboro, just last night. I didn't notice the price.
    
    /sl

    Countryfare Star does have fiddleheads this week (at least at Sunday)
    for $2.49/lb (I think).
    I also saw them at Haymarket (near Fanueil Hall), but I didn't notice
    the price.
    How long do they keep, by the way?
    
    Stella

    
    
    Rep .7
    
      I not sure about varieties but I pick the ones growing in my yard/
    woods. They have a tannish brown fuzz on them and they are fine
    to eat. I pick them like asparagus which is grab them near the ground
    and snap. That way you don't get any of the tough stringy part.
    You want to pick them when they about 8-10" tall. The brown fuzz
    comes off if you soak them in water for 30min or so.
    
    
    -mike
    

    Be sure you know WHICH ferns you pick!!!!!  There are some out there
    which people mistake all the time for Fiddleheads and are poisonous!
    
    As in .11, look for the fern while it's still new and has not uncurled
    yet.  They should have the brown covering still on them (to me the
    brown covering looks like onion skin).
   
    When in doubt, either don't pick it or pick it and have an expert
    look at it before you eat it.  You do NOT want to end up in the
    Hospital getting your stomach pumped!

    I saw them in Shaw's Tuesday night.  I wish I had read this note
    before then, I would have tried them.  I didn't notice the price
    although I did notice the rest of the produce was the pits.  Is
    that just Shaw's or does the produce in other stores look rather
    pallid this time of year?
    
    T
    
    

    There were fiddleheads at the Shaws in So. Nashua (Daniel Webster
    Highway) last Friday.  Didn't see a price, though.  They also
    had some good asparagus - nice thick stalks, which is what I
    like.  I don't like the fiddle of preparing lots of thin stalks
    when I can snap the bottoms off 12 thick stalks and have enough
    for the two of us.
    
    --Louise

    I don't know about Fiddleheads, but I do know about fresh produce and
    Heartland, Purity Supreme, has the best produce department I have seen
    since the farmstands closed for the winter.  Try it.  I think you won't
    be disappointed.  Lots of exotic fruit and vegees.  Crisp greens..Yum!

    Shaw's on Lincoln St. in Worcester had them last night, $2.19/lb.
    
    Debbie
    

    We have fiddleheads growing in the backyard near the Ela River in NH. 
    At least I hope they're fiddleheads after reading some of these
    replies!  Anyway, I spent a good deal of time at the library looking
    for books (both recipe and plant books) and could only find one that
    mentioned fiddleheads--the LL Bean Cookbook.
    
    I tried this recipe and it was very good, kind of like a quiche.
    
    Yankee Fiddlehead Pie
    
    4 eggs
    1 c. milk
    1 c. chopped, cooked fiddleheads
    2 TB chopped cooked leeks
    1 - 2 tbs. chopped fresh parsely
    l cup shredded mild cheddar
    
    Beat eggs and milk.  Fold in everything but l/2 cheese.  Bake in
    partially baked pie shell for 40 minutes at 350.  Sprinkle remaining
    cheese on.  Bake for approx. l0 minutes more or until cheese is melted. 
    Let rest l0 minutes before serving.
    
    Janet

I had Fiddlehead Soup Wednesday night at Bullfinch's in Sudbury.  It was a
delicious cream soup, seasoned to perfection.  I couldn't begin to analyze 
the seasonings, though I'd bet there was some mustard in there somewhere.  
If anyone else has had it, perhaps you can decipher some of the 
ingredients.

BTW, now that I've tasted this, there's no doubt in my mind that you could 
use any good cream of asparagus soup recipe and substitute the fiddleheads 
for the asparagus.

							Pat

    Jeez, I wish they'd improve the reliability of the network and
    notes.....
    
    I was trying to say in my previous reply, that we tried the
    Fiddlehead pie this weekend and found it quite good.
    
    I took a few liberties with the recipe - baked it in a
    tart crust, used swiss cheese instead of cheddar, sauteed
    the chopped leeks before adding them to the egg mixture, and
    seasoned the tart with salt and pepper.
    
    /Sam

    I had a wonderful fiddlehead appetizer at the Castle Restaurant
    in Rutland.  They were steamed and covered in a "reduction sauce"
    - very tasty!!!
    
    -Caryn
    

         I was told when I was young that there are three things a man
    doesn't do in life. One is lend his car or wife out the other is not
    to tell anyone one where your favorite fiddlehead patch is. Here in
    Maine you can  find fiddleheads along banks of streams and rivers.
    I always try to put up 30-40 lbs. a year so to have plenty to get
    through the summer, fall, and winter months. As said in a previous
    reply that the fern is not edible at it mature state. It is actually
    called the Ostrich Fern as it looks like the ostrich feathers when its
    mature. I just boil mine with some salt pork and then put butter,
    salt , pepper and a little vinegar. The guys down to our hunting camp
    always can't wait to me to bring some to camp or supper. They say its
    a treat to have some when its below freezing and a foot of snow on the
    ground. If you like fiddleheads and ever get up to Maine, be sure to 
    try Belles's of Maine pickled fiddleheads. They are raw fiddleheads 
    put up in jars and are very good. I havn't been able to duplicate
    thier taste yet. 

    4 tbsp unsalted butter
    1 large yellow onion, chopped
    5 cups chicken stock
    1 cup dry white wine
    1 pound cleaned fiddleheads
    1 cup half-and-half
    1 cup heavy cream
    1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    salt and pepper
    lightly steamed fiddleheads for garnish

    Melt butter in large stock pot over low heat.  Add onion, saute until
    soft, 15 to 20 minutes.  Pour in stock & wine.  Add fiddleheads, simmer
    uncovered over medium heat, 45 minutes.  Let the soup cool slightly and
    then stir in the half-and-half, cream, nutmeg and lemon juice.  Puree
    the soup in batches in a blender/food processor until smooth.  Season
    to taste with salt & pepper.  Gently heat the soup until hot and
    garnish with the steamed fiddleheads.  Makes 6-8 portions.

           Had a fresh batch yesterday boiled with salt pork. Some kinda
    good side dish along with a cook out.

    Yup - Shaw's has had fiddleheads for the last two weeks.  Delicious!

    Purity in Acton (Rt. 62) has 'em for $1.99 lb.  I'm trying them tonight
    for the first time......
    
    Cara
    

                 Be sure you get some salt pork to boil with them. Boil
    them for about 10 MINUTES, drain, add butter and pepper, and some
    vinegar. No salt is needed as it gets enough from the salt pork. If you
    cook them to long they will get real soft and mushy. I picked about 20
    lbs. last night and gave up due to being taken over by black flies. In
    the local paper there are places advertising them for .95/lb. cleaned
    and delivered locally if more than 15lbs. are bought.  

    I soak them in about three changes of cold water, and then boil/steam
    them for about 15 minutes.  You may want to trim off the stem ends if
    they are tough.  I really, really like fiddleheads!
    
    /Charlotte

Fiddleheads are $1.99 a pound at Shaws this week!

Lola

    YUM!!!!
    
    I haven't seen them yet in the local Shaw's but I'll look especially
    for them when I do tomorrow's grocery run!!!!
    
    /Charlotte

    I saw them in the grocery store this weekend........
    They didn't look particularly "yummy" to me!

    I tried some last week.  Blecch!  Now I know why no one outside of NE
    eats these things.

             I only managed to get about 20 lbs. put up this year due to
    a freaky Spring. The way I only cook them is for a short while 7-10
    mins. and boil them with salt pork which is the trick.

I steamed mine  for 10 minutes, then quickly sauteed with garlic, and olive
oil and added salt pepper and parmesan to taste...very good.  To me it's like
a cross between spinach and artichokes.  I don't like asparagas, but I do enjoy
fiddleheads!

Laura

    Sounds delicious, Laura!  Our local Shaw's started having them a couple
    of weeks ago - I guess the cold spring delayed the season by a couple
    weeks.  I usually start getting them in early May.  I just steam or
    boil them, and grind a little pepper over them.  I suppose they do
    taste a bit like artichokes (which my family also likes a lot), but I
    think they taste more like asparagus.  Too bad they are so expensive!
    
    /Charlotte (having some with dinner tonight!)