Fiddlehead fern ✦

Tête de violon

What it is

A run of illness across New York State and western Canada in 1994 was traced to lightly sautéed fiddleheads; Health Canada has advised a full fifteen-minute boil ever since, and the toxin responsible has still not been identified. Only the ostrich fern is eaten — its crozier is smooth and grooved on the inner face, and the fuzzy ones growing beside it are not.

In the kitchen

Fifteen minutes in plenty of boiling water, water thrown away, then refresh and sauté — a second short blanch in clean water improves the flavour markedly. Never sauté them raw, however good the colour looks in the basket.

Goes with

Butter Lemon Garlic Morel Ramps Smoked cured pork belly Egg

In season alongside

Dandelion greens Good King Henry Huauzontle Black bryony shoots Wild asparagus Artichoke

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