Spring is here!

Spring has finally arrived as evidenced by one of my favourite foods making their way into stores; fiddleheads! Sadly they are not cheap and the season is all too short, but maybe that is what in part makes them so special. Their appearance in April coincides with the start of trout season. I have fond memories of filling a bag with them as I walked through the moist and shady areas they thrive in on route to my favourite trout streams for an evening of fly-fishing. If you choose to forage for your own, be sure to avoid those from foxglove and bracken ferns, as they may be toxic. Ostrich fern fiddleheads are what you want and what you will find in stores.

Fiddle heads are baby ferns which when coiled resemble the scrolled shape at the end of a violin. Some call them crosier because of their resemblance to the staff carried by bishops. The largest commercial producer in N. America is here in Ontario at Port Colborne’s NorCliff Farms with access to thousands of acres where they hand pick wild fiddleheads. However, the “Fiddlehead Captial of the World" is said to be the village of Tide Head New Brunswick where fiddleheads are abundant along the shores of the Restigouche River.

There are many recipes, but my favourite is to trim a little off the ends, wash well to remove as much of the brown bits that are very tannic, and then boil in a large pot of salted water. How long is a matter of taste and your textural preferences; I like them with just a little crunch, but some find that undercooked. When fresh I typically boil 3 minutes, taste and usually go another minute or two. I will then sauté every so briefly in butter and add some lemon juice. Very little is finer in life!

Fresh Fiddleheads!

Soy-Ginger Halibut served with fiddleheads in butter and lemon and Jasmine rice. Uninspired sloppy plating but delicious nevertheless!