How to Cook Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads cooked in a skillet with a lemon slice.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Canadian, Maine, Maritime, New Brunswick, New England, Nova Scotia

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 28

Servings: servings

Calories: 118kcal

Author: Dolly (Maritime Country Kitchen)

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound fiddleheads cleaned* and trimmed
▢ Boiling salted water
▢ 3 tablespoons butter
▢ ½ lemon juiced (or 2 tablespoons cider vinegar)
▢ Kosher salt to taste
▢ Pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Fit a large pot with a steamer basket, and fill it with water so that it reaches the same level as the steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, fill the pot with 5-6 cups of water - you will boil the fiddleheads instead.
Bring to a boil over high heat, remove the steamer basket (if using), and add a generous amount of salt.
Add the fiddleheads to the steamer basket, or directly to the boiling water. Steam for 12 minutes, or boil for 15 minutes, until the stems are tender, but still bright in color.
Drain the fiddleheads in a colander over the sink.
Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat and add the butter, stirring to melt.
Add the fiddleheads into the simmering butter, and toss to coat.
Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and everything is coated in melted butter.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and add kosher salt and black pepper to your taste.
Serve immediately.

Notes

*Cleaning fiddleheads: Place the fiddleheads in a colander or salad spinner and rinse well with cool running water, tossing them gently. Spin in a salad spinner three times, rinsing well in between each spin, until the water rinses mostly clean. If you do not have a salad spinner, use your hands to gently toss them as water runs over them in the colander. Continue until the water rinses mostly clean (there will be a slight red tinge). Trim the very edges of the stem, where there is often a brownish color from harvesting.

Fiddlehead Safety: Be sure to follow washing and cooking instructions. Only use Ostrich fern fiddleheads (Matteuccia Struthiopteris).

Nutrition