Fiddleheads and chive blossoms are a delicacy that can only be obtained in a small period of time during the Spring season, usually in May. Therefore it is only fitting to combine the two ingredients for a wonderful Spring dish! Fiddleheads have a flavor that is similar to broccoli, but unique in that it has an earthy nuttiness flavor. Chive blossoms have a flavor that is a bold combination of a green onion and garlic. See Chatty Advice before purchasing or cooking fiddleheads.
Ingredients
6 oz. of fiddleheads
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 chive blossoms minced
2 tablespoon of butter, Smart Balance brand
Juice from half of a lemon about 1 tablespoon
Technique
Cut brown parts off of stems of each fiddlehead. Place all cut fiddleheads in a large bowl with water. Mix and stir several times. Discard water. Repeat until water appears clear. Fill a medium sized pot half way with water and salt and bring it up to a boil. Add fiddleheads and boil for 10 minutes. Remove fiddleheads from water and discard the boiling water. In a small skillet over medium high heat add butter, chive blossoms, fiddleheads and lemon juice. Sauté until fragrant and serve. Enjoy a savory taste of Spring!
Chatty Advice
Fiddleheads are the beginning coiled shoots of the ostrich fern and are picked when they are in the rolled up phase. Once they unroll and begin to mature they are no longer edible. Please adhere to a few recommendations regarding fiddleheads, unless you are familiar with growing and cooking them. Don’t be tempted to just pick your own from your woods. It may be possible but rely on your grocer to select an edible version. Not to mention the fact that you do not want your children to be bold about picking them and then become bold about picking mushrooms which are usually not edible and are lurking everywhere. Washing and cooking them properly is important because the ones that you may purchase could have been picked from a swampier area. They will contain a lot of grit that needs to be removed. Please look up information about fiddleheads as to why they need to be cooked properly before eating.
When making any of our gluten-free recipes take care in reading the labels of any packaged or canned products. If there is a label on anything you are using, read it or ask to make sure that it is indeed gluten-free. Many products vary in ingredients from brand to brand. Some examples of this can be found when looking at the labels of soy sauce, mustard, distilled vinegar, and even chicken broth.
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