Sunday, February 6, 2011

How To Cook Fiddleheads

            Ferns are said to be a good delicacy. Fiddleheads, a certain kind of fern that grows in Maineis known as ostrich fern. It can be made into a special delicacy. Fiddleheads look like twisted leaves, about one inch in breadth, a covering that is scaly and brown in color, smooth stem and grooves that are in a U shape. You can usually spot fiddleheads during spring time.
            The fiddlehead should be harvested when the rolls grow about one or two inches away from the ground. Take off gently the scaly and papery covering. Rinse it completely. Set ample amount of water to boil and put in the cleansed fiddleheads and start to cook it with a stable boil for about ten minutes. You can also prefer to rinse and steam it. After it is cooked, you can serve it with vinegar or melt butter. It is recommended to eat it right after serving to retain its delicateness. It can also be served with a toast. Fiddleheads can be served as salad. For its dressing you can have onion or vinegar. You can chill it after cooking. Since it is seasonal it is advisable to keep it frozen. In freezing it, rinse it completely and blanch it in a water of about four to six cups for about two minutes.Sap and cool in a water cold enough to cool it or put half ice and water. Set in to moisture or vapor resistant container and then freeze it.
Defrost
and set to boil in ten minutes and then serve it.
Always refrigerate the fiddleheads. It is not advisable to preserve it in can.
          There are lots of ways to preserve fiddleheads but the best ways of preserving it to achieve it's quality  and taste are given below:

Fiddlehead and Shrimp Medley

Ingredients:
lemon juice                                          two tablespoon
fiddleheads                                         one pound
celery seed                                          1/8 teaspoon
thyme                                                 one teaspoon
margarine                                           one teaspoon
green pepper (diced)                          1/2 cup
linguine (uncooked)                            six ounces
pepper                                                 1/4 teaspoon
water                                                   four cups
onion(chopped)                                   2/3 cup
salt                                                       1/8 teaspoon
mushrooms (sliced)                             1/2 pound
Maine shrimp (frozen or fresh)           one to 3/4 pounds

STEPS IN MAKING FIDDLEHEAD AND SHRIMP MEDLEY:
  • Cut the fiddlehead's end. Take off the scaly covering and rinse it completely. 
  • Set the water to boil in a pan. Put in the shrimp and cook it for about three to five minutes. 
  • Sap it well and put it aside. 
  • Start to cook the fiddleheads in the boiling water for about ten minutes. Sap it completely.
  • Brush the skillet with a cooking spray. Make sure the skillet is nonstick. Put in the margarine.
  • Set the saucepan to heat and wait until the margarine melted. Put in the green peppers and onions. Sauté until it turns tenderly crisp. 
  • Mix the fiddleheads then start cooking the pasta noodles following the directions of the packaging. Do not put oil or salt. Sap it completely and put aside to warm.
  • Put the mushroom slices, celery seeds, pepper, and thyme to the mixture of vegetable.
  • Set the heat to medium and start cooking the fiddleheads. Do not cover the pan. It should take about three to four minutes. You'll know it's done when the mushroom turns tender and mixing it occasionally. Blend in the lemon juice and shrimp. 
  • Cook and stir it occasionally until it is fully heated. 
  • Put the pasta noodles on a platter. Put a spoonful of the mixture of shrimp on the noodles’ top. 
  • Serve it while it is hot. 

This recipe serves six servings.

Fiddlehead Dijon

INGREDIENTS:
pepper                                                   1/4 teaspoon
fiddleheads (fresh)                  one and one 1/2 pounds
lemon juice                              3/4 teaspoon
Dijon mustard                         two teaspoons
buttermilk (non-fat)                one cup
tarragon (dried)                       1/2 teaspoon
cornstarch                               one tablespoon


STEPS IN MAKING FIDDLEHEAD DIJON
  • Wash the fiddleheads thoroughly. Take off the scaly covering. Put the fiddleheads at a steamer for vegetable and set it to boil.
  • Cover the steamer and start steaming for about twenty minutes. You'll know it's done if the fiddleheads turns tender but make sure it's crispy.
  • Put it aside and keep it warm.
  • Mix buttermilk and cornstarch in a pan. Mix thoroughly.
  • Set the heat to medium and cook it while mixing it occasionally. Once it's done the mixture will thickened and turns bubbly.
  • Take it off and add in pepper, mustard, tarragon and lemon juice. Blend it completely.
  • Assemble the fiddleheads on a platter.
  • Sprinkle sauce on top of the fiddleheads.
  • Serve it while it is hot.

This recipe makes six servings.


Quick Sour Fiddlehead Pickles

INGREDIENTS
mustard seed                           1/2 cup
water                           two cups
sugar                            1/2 cup
cider vinegar               1/2 gallon
salt                               1/2 cup


STEPS IN MAKING QUICK SOUR FIDDLEHEAD PICKLES
  • Combine all ingredients and boil it.
  • Put the fiddleheads in a jar (pint-sized), cover it and cook it for about ten minutes.

Sweet Pickled Fiddleheads

INGREDIENTS

salt                               two teaspoons
cider vinegar                           one quart
sugar                            five cups

STEPS IN MAKING SWEET PICKLED FIDDLEHEADS
  • Blend together the salt, vinegar and sugar in a pan. 
  • Set it to boil and put in the fiddleheads on a jar (pint-sized).
  • Cover it and cook it for about ten minutes. 
  • This recipe makes about six pints. 

Mustard Fiddlehead Pickles

INGREDIENTS
vinegar                                                two quarts
button onions (peeled)                        one quart
water                                                   four quarts
sugar                                                    two cups
fiddleheads                                         one quart
flour                                                    one quart
salt                                                       two cups
dry mustard                                         six tablespoons

STEPS IN MAKING MUSTARD FIDDLEHEAD PICKLES
  • Rinse the fiddleheads and set up the peeled onions.
  • Blend water and salt.
  • Add on the fiddleheads. 
  • Set it aside for twenty four hours.
  • Set it to boil and sap using a colander.
  • Combine the mustard and flour. 
  • Pour in the vinegar to achieve a soft paste.
  • Pour in more vinegar and sugar.
  • Bring it to boil while stirring continuously until the mixture turns smooth and thickens.
  • Put the fiddle heads and cook it. Do not overcook it for it will loose its crispyness.
  • Place in a jar and cover right away.
  • Set it to boil in a water process canner.
  •  
This recipe makes about eight pints.

Plain and Pickled Fiddleheads

INGREDIENTS

cinnamon *
sugar
pepper *
cider vinegar
nutmeg (ground) *
celery seed    *
all spice   *

* 1/8 teaspoon

STEPS IN MAKING PLAIN AND PICKLED FIDDLEHEADS
  • Put ample amount of vinegar to coat in the fiddleheads.
  • Strain it in the pan.
  • Pour in a cup of sugar for a gallon of vinegar.
  • Sprinkle celery seeds and all spice.
  • Set to boil the syrup for about seven to eight minutes.
  • Add in the fiddleheads in the jars.
  • Cover it and set to boil for about ten minutes in a water process canner.

Bread and Butter Fiddlehead Pickles

INGREDIENTS

mustard seeds                                     one to one 1/2 teaspoons
onions (large, sliced thinly)                 three large cloves
cider vinegar                                                   five cups
water (cold)
fiddleheads                                         four pounds
celery seeds                                         one to one 1/2 teaspoons
salt                                                       1/2 cup
ice cubes                                              three trays
turmeric                                               one to one 1/2 teaspoons
sugar                                                    five cups

STEPS IN MAKING BREAD AND BUTTER FIDDLEHEADS PICKLES
  • Put ample amount of water to coat the fiddleheads. Put in salt and onions and whisk it.
  • Add ice to dissolve the salt. It is recommended to use a glass, enamel or stainless steel container that is eight quarts in size.
  • Cover the container and let it stand for about three hours in a cool area.
  • Sap the fiddleheads and wash in running water that is cold.
  • Drain it completely.
  • Set to boil the turmeric, celery seeds, and vinegar and mustard seeds in an eight quart size pan or oven. 
  • Set the heat to low and cook the mixture for about thirty minutes. Do not cover it and stir it occasionally.
  • While simmering it, get ready the jars and its caps.
  • Put on the onions and fiddleheads to the oven and set to boil.
  • Scoop the fiddleheads while it's hot. Put in the prepared jars and fill it about 1/4 inch away from the top.
  • Pour the syrup to the fiddleheads.
  • Start processing for about ten minutes in a water process canner. Let the jars cook and check if the caps are tightly closed.

This recipe makes about six pints of servings.

Sugar Free Fiddlehead Pickles

INGREDIENTS

dry mustard                             1/2 cup
cloves (powdered)                  1/2 teaspoon
cinnamon (powdered)             one tablespoon
alum (powdered)                     one teaspoon
salt                                           1/2 cup
vinegar                                    one gallon
allspice (powered)                   one teaspoon
saccharin (powdered)              one teaspoon   (optional)

STEPS IN MAKING SUGAR FREE FIDDLEHEAD PICKLES
  • Assemble the fiddleheads inside the jar and put ample amount of water to coat the fiddleheads.
  • Cover it immediately.
  • Start the processing for about ten minutes. let the water boils. 
  • Set it aside and store for two weeks then you it will ready to use.
  • If you are planning to sell it be sure to pass it to the Food and Drug Administration and have it check for the saccharin usage.

Test results on pH level of the pickled fiddleheads are between 3.38 to 3.78 for solids and 3.35 to 3.74 for liquids.


It is a must to follow the GMPs or Good Manufacturing Practices for best quality and safety of the product.

Remember not to packed-hot the fiddlehead products and always process it for about ten minutes using hot water.

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