Freshly foraged fiddleheads are a springtime delicacy. (Dee Menear/Rangeley Highlander)

If you’ve taken a walk in the forest or along the banks of a river, stream or brook, chances are you’ve stumbled across the delicate fan-like leaves of ferns. In the spring, ferns awaken from winter dormancy and new life begins to sprout on dark brown crowns. For many ferns, the sprouts appear as a tightly wound coils that shoot upward an alarming rate and the coils begin to unwind. At this stage, before the feathery fern fronds unfurl, the shoots resemble the curled scroll of a violin, thus the name given to the early sprouts of woodland ferns.

During the short window of time between the first sign of new growth and the loosening of the fiddlehead coil, foragers take to the woods and edges of waterways to collect the edible fiddleheads of Ostrich ferns. Fiddleheads are a welcome taste of spring and among the first fresh greenery available satisfy palates bored with winter produce.

However, there are some things to know before venturing out to collect your fill of fiddleheads.

KNOW YOUR FIDDLES

While all ferns may produce fiddleheads, not all fiddleheads are edible. The Ostrich Fern fiddleheads are edible, and can be identified by its characteristic brown, papery scale-like covering on the uncoiled fern and deep, ”U”-shaped groove on the inside of the smooth stem. Harvest the tender fiddleheads when they are two to six inches tall, when a portion of the tasty stem can be harvested, but while the fiddlehead is still tightly curled. Before harvesting in the wild, make sure that you can properly differentiate the ostrich fern fiddleheads from other fern fiddleheads.

FORAGE RESPONSIBLY

If you are lucky, you have a secret spot to gather your fill of fiddleheads. If you venture on to private property to forage, always ask for permission from the landowner. Some public and conservation lands also require foraging permission. If you can’t forage, don’t worry. Fiddleheads show up in grocery stores, at farmer’s markets and roadside stands.

Ostrich Fern fiddleheads begin to emerge in April and May. They can be found in the sandy, fertile soil along riverbanks and in wet woodlands. (Dee Menear/Rangeley Highlander)

If you do forage, never remove every fiddlehead from the crown. According the the UMaine Cooperative Extension, it is good practice to harvest only from crowns that have four or more fiddleheads. Never take more than half of the emerged fiddleheads from each crown. The fiddleheads that remain to grow into fern fronds will be making food for the next year’s picking. Harvest fiddleheads by snapping them off by hand or cutting them off with a knife. When cutting fiddleheads, take care not to damage the remaining fiddleheads.

Ostrich Fern fiddleheads are best harvested when they are between two and six inches tall. (Dee Menear/Rangeley Highlander)

CLEANING FIDDLEHEADS

Given that fiddleheads push up through sandy soil, it is guaranteed that gritty sand will be trapped in the coils. Fiddleheads can be cleaned by first placing them in a colander and thoroughly rinsing the fiddleheads with clean, cold water. Submerging the rinsed fiddleheads in a bowl of clean, cool water should follow rinsing to remove the remainder of the brown papery coverings, and repeat as needed. Fiddleheads should appear clean after several rounds or rinsing and soaking steps.

Cleaning fiddleheads requires several cycles of rinsing and soaking to remove grit and the brown, paper-like covering from the coils. Note the deep U-shaped groove in the stems, one of the identifiers of edible Ostrich Ferns. (Dee Menear/Rangeley Highlander)

COOKING FIDDLEHEADS

Clean fiddleheads can be safely cooked using two different methods, boiling and steaming.  Once they are cooked as recommended, there are many ways to enjoy fiddleheads. Sauteed, roasted or fried as a side. They make for tasty main dishes, too! Consider fiddlehead chowder, quiche, stir fry or pasta dishes.

STORING FIDDLEHEADS

Fiddleheads are best served within a day or two of being picked. They can also be pickled or frozen to enjoy later. Fiddleheads are finicky when it comes to freezing. However, freezing can be successful if these steps are followed: blanche for 2 minutes, ice bath for another 2 minutes, dry fiddleheads in the salad spinner, vacuum seal and freeze. If they aren’t dried properly or if they don’t have an air tight seal, they tend to discolor when they meet the temperature of the freezer. Personally, we keep a few servings in the freezer to enjoy during the bitter throes of winter, kind of a reminder to ourselves that warmer weather is on the horizon.

ENJOYING FIDDLEHEADS

By UMaine Cooperative Extension

Boiling

Bring lightly salted water in a saucepan or stock pot to a rolling boil and add clean fiddleheads that are cleaned according to the steps above. The water should fully cover the fiddleheads when added. Bring the water back to a steady boil and boil for 15 minutes. Based on research conducted at the University of Maine, we do not recommend packing fiddleheads tightly into the saucepan/pot or steamer during the cooking process. We recommend cooking in small batches to allow enough water or steam to thoroughly cook the fiddleheads

Steaming

Bring a small amount of water to a boil preferably under a stainless-steel, vegetable steamer in a saucepan. Add clean fiddleheads, cleaned according to the steps above, and steam for 10-12 minutes with a lid covering the steamer and saucepan.

After boiling or steaming, serve at once with optional toppings or seasonings, such as melted butter, vinegar, olive oil, salt or pepper. Cooked and rapidly chilled fiddleheads can be also served as a salad with an onion and vinegar dressing.

Shrimp and Fiddlehead Medley

1 pound fresh fiddleheads
6 ounces linguine, uncooked
6 cups water
1 ¾ pounds Maine shrimp, fresh or frozen
1 teaspoon olive oil
2/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Clean and wash fiddleheads using the process above. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan, add shrimp, and cook 3-5 minutes, or until slightly opaque white in color (frozen shrimp may take longer). Drain well, and set aside. Cook fiddleheads in boiling water (enough water to cover all fiddleheads during cooking) for 15 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed, without salt or oil. Drain well, set aside, and keep warm.

Add olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet and heat on medium-high. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until crisp-tender. Stir in fiddleheads. Add sliced mushrooms, thyme, pepper, salt, and celery seeds to the vegetable mixture; stir well. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring often. Stir in shrimp and lemon juice; cook until heated through, stirring often.

Place pasta on a large platter. Spoon shrimp and fiddlehead mixture on top. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.