Ostrich fern fiddleheads are found in damp areas of the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, New England, Quebec and the Maritime Provinces forests. Wooded riverbanks are reliable and many foragers will canoe a section of a stream, beaching the boat when they find a wild garden of ferns.
The unwritten ethic among fiddlehead foragers is to take three violin tops. A fern produces five to nine fronds per growing season, so harvesting more than three can jeopardize the plant’s survival.
The measuring stick for fiddleheads is coinage. the head should be roughly the size of a silver dollar -- Bigger than that and they start to toughen. By the end of the season, which is the end of May or early June depending on rainfall, the flavor becomes bitter, and the fern gets really tough.
The fern does present one culinary problem: it’s toxic. Though not nearly as bad as, raw fiddleheads can cause symptoms comparable to drinking water in a third-world country (nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal pain). This is easily avoidable if the fiddleheads are boiled or steamed thoroughly. Of course, completely unrolled fern leaves should be avoided entirely.
boil it for about ten minutes -- It’s not a dish you want to serve al dente.On the plant, fiddleheads are generally a pale green. By boiling the fiddleheads, not only is the toxicity neutralized, but the color becomes more vivid. Especially with a picnh of salt and sugar added to the water!
Fiddleheads have the flavor of asparagus on steroids. And while asparagus can become soggy in the pot, fiddleheads retain their texture: the shoots are firm and crunchy while the infant leaf buds almost dissolve in the mouth.
Fiddleheads are best served boiled then sautéed with butter and served on the side of a beef, pork or fish dish. the flavor truly complements all meats.
Fiddleheads are also served on pasta with a touch of cream, parmesan and garlic. deeeelish!
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