Spring in New Brunswick means fiddleheads
Ask any New Brunswicker to quickly name one edible delicacy they feel is uniquely appreciated in our province, and chances are they'll respond "fiddleheads."
Whether they steam them and eat them with a dollop of butter, or simmer them into a divine soup, or put them in quiches or casseroles, they remain by definition a rite of spring.
People who pick them refuse to divulge their favourite spots; markets who sell them know the anticipation with which consumers await them, and many people in the rest of the world cannot begin to imagine why we get this excited about a wild fern that resembles the spiral end of a fiddle.
It's hard to precisely predict when they will be making their appearance each spring, but with today's recipes clipped and waiting, you will be ready to take full advantage of their arrival this year.
If you're new to the province, but want to appear like a pro, remember that the part of the fiddlehead that you eat is the coiled end that pokes through the ground in the spring.
Fiddleheads are part of a healthy diet too, since they are rich in vitamins A and C.
Don't forget if you have a recipe you are willing to swap to send it to thisweek@brunswicknews.com.
I'll feature them in this column, which runs in This Week. Don't hesitate to send in requests for specific recipes either.
Here are this week's recipes:
Fiddlehead Cashew Stir-fry
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen fiddleheads 500 ml
1 cup snow peas 250 ml
1 cup diced carrots (coins) 250 ml
1 cup fresh bean sprouts 250 ml
1/2 cup chopped brown mushrooms 125 ml
1/2 cup raw cashews 125 ml
1 tbsp butter or oil (butter is richer) 15 ml
1 tsp fresh ground ginger root 5 ml
Garlic & Tamari soy sauce to taste
Method:
Wash and prepare the fiddleheads by removing the fuzzy fronds and cutting off any dry ends.
Prepare other vegetables and ginger. Preheat butter or oil in wok or sauté pan, medium heat.
Stir-fry the fiddleheads for 10-12 minutes (longer for frozen) until the fiddleheads take on a vibrant green shade and are soft (fully cooked, not crunchy!).
Cook longer if the fiddleheads are at all crunchy. Add carrots, peas, mushrooms, cashews, ginger garlic and soy sauce. Add bean sprouts last.
Cook another 1-2 minutes until all veggies are cooked but not too soft. Serve with rice or fine rice stick noodles.
Fiddlehead Pie
Ingredients:
1 frozen (or homemade) piecrust
2 cups chopped fiddleheads 500 ml
1 small onion
2 tbsp olive oil 30 ml
1 cup shredded cheddar 250 ml
4 eggs
1 cup cream (or half & half) 250 ml
1 tbsp coarse mustard 15 ml
2 tbsp flour 30 ml
Method:
Precook piecrust in a 350 degree Fahrenheit (175 degree Celsius) oven.
After preparing the fiddleheads for cooking, sauté onions and fiddleheads in olive oil for 6-8 minutes, then place in crust.
Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Blend eggs, mustard, flour, cream, and pour over other ingredients.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 50 minutes (fully cooked fiddleheads).
Pie is cooked when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. This dish may be served cold, warm, or hot.
Serves 3-5
Cream of Fiddlehead Soup
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cleaned fiddleheads, finely chopped 375 ml
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 small onion, minced
2 tbsp butter 30 ml
3 1/2 cups milk 875 ml
1/2 cup thick cream 125 ml
Seasoning and salt to taste
Method:
Melt butter and bouillon cubes in a sauce pan. Sauté onions and fiddleheads for 10-12 minutes (fully cooked!). Add milk and heat thoroughly; stir in cream and season to taste. Serve steaming hot with fresh rolls. Serves six.
Did you know?
North American aboriginal people are credited with being first to cash in on the nutritional value of fiddleheads. They were a highly-prized medicinal plant, said to act as a natural cleansing agent ridding the body of accumulated impurities and toxins. It is also reported that fiddleheads were an olden day treatment for high blood pressure, and eaten to ward off scurvy.
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