Taming the Wild Fiddlehead Fern

By Katie Barreira

A fiddlehead is the curled tip of a wild ostrich fern leaf in its first weeks of life. This fleeting spring delicacy is in peak season at a farmers’ market near you (psssst – even Fresh Direct is carrying them this year!) and while they may sound (and look) wildly exotic, they have the familiar fresh flavor of verdant veggies and are a cinch to prepare.

A quick scan of fiddlehead fern recipes uncovered an almost unanimous call for blanching the ferns before further cooking, but Pamela Mitchell, a very well-eaten pal and Executive Food Editor of Rachael Ray Mag, told me that she likes to snack on raw fiddleheads, which proved a delectable way to enjoy the fern tips. (Caution: technically speaking, raw fiddleheads are safe to eat, but tummy troubles have been reported. I’ve had no such problem, and it’s a risk along the lines of runny egg yolks and oysters. But if you prefer zero-risk eating, steam or boil fiddleheads 10 minutes before stir-frying.)

While blanched and shocked fiddleheads would make a show-stopping addition to a crudité platter, I can’t bring myself to twice-cook the charming coils. When I tasted the peppery, asparagus-like flavor of the raw fiddlehead, my taste buds called out for a simple Asian stir-fry that would play up the veggie’s natural umami and preserve its delightfully fresh crispness.

Stir-fried Fiddleheads
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
8 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) fiddlehead ferns, cleaned
¼ teaspoon sugar
Salt

1. In a small bowl, combine rice wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce and ¼ cup water; reserve.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until wisps of smoke are just beginning to appear. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Push aromatics to the edges of the pan, add the ferns and cook, stirring, until brown in spots and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add sauce mixture and boil until reduced and thickened slightly, but still saucy; remove from heat. Toss with sugar and season to taste with salt. Serve hot over rice.

TIPS:
Cleaning Fiddlehead Ferns: Most fiddleheads you find at the market will already have the brown papery chaffs removed; if not, gently shake ferns in a paper bag to remove. Trim the browned cut ends and submerge ferns in a large bowl of cold water. Lift out the ferns then rinse under cold water.

Stir-fry Savvy: A piping-hot pan and prepped ingredients, poised for cooking, are the keys to a successful stir-fry. Also, make sure to dry the fiddleheads well before adding to the pan or they'll steam instead of sear.

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