Fiddlehead Ferns 101 - Everything You Need to Know

[@gloriacurrie2613]

A word of caution: I live in an area with lots of fiddleheads in the spring. I know several people who have become very sick after undercooking fiddleheads. They should be boiled for 10 minutes! I know that makes them soft but it is the safest way to cook them. Even commercially sold fiddleheads have made some of my friends sick. I boil them well and then sautee some fresh asparagus cut into 1 " pieces and mix the two together. The asparagus adds the crisp crunch and the fiddleheads add their fabulous flavour and nutrients.

[@gardensofthegods]

Gloria Currie thank you for the heads up but do you think you know why they're making people sick.. .. I am curious because I have had Decades of health problems

[@tamaratamara153]

@@gardensofthegods Although it is unknown exactly what causes this temporary illness, Health Canada believes that it is most likely the result of an unidentified natural toxin present in the fiddlehead," www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fiddlehead-warning-issued-by-chief-medical-officer-1.1289941

[@daniellemccarter5706]

Yes I read they have poisoned many ppl why the hell do these ppl take chances Lol.

[@Trickytrickify]

I eat them all my life never had problem, stir fried, curry etc

[@Mrsboncouer]

​@@gardensofthegods sometimes the are found along rivers...i remember picking them along the Kennebec in Maine..rivers in the NE are known for flooding in the spring, fiddlehead season...the floods can carry all kinds of contaminants, bacterial to chemical....thoroughly wash , clean and thoroughly cook to kill bacteria

[@patriciamcrae5331]

My mom and I used to pick them. She would boil them and then dry them so when she wanted them she would rehydrate them and cook them with some soy sauce and dashi. They were so good. Haven't had them in years.

[@caitlinreum100]

I live in Maine and fiddleheads grow locally around here. Our grocery store sells them for about $4.99/lb. I actually have some in the fridge ready to cook tonight :)

[@tearaproctor9684]

Here in Connecticut too! I just bought some yesterday

[@TheNetymags]

Love fiddleheads. I've been picking and eating them since I was a child. Happy to be from the Maritimes. The traditional way a lot of people eat them around here is to blanch then add salt, pepper, butter and white vinegar.

[@coryw31]

And you can thank the Native people who showed them to your ancestors 👍🏽

[@MotherHemCreations]

Hello fellow maritimer !! Nb canada here!

[@mckernan603]

Hope you’re doing good with the fires ❤️

[@craiggreene7345]

Hi, health Canadas website says they should be boiled for 15 mins then drained to remove toxins they contain, once this is done you can safely enjoy them in any recipe but they MUST be boiled 15 mins then drained and the water discarded to make them safe to eat. I love them and I just put on butter vinegar and salt and pepper. Have a nice day!

[@daniellemccarter5706]

Ya I read they have poisoned ppl

[@craiggreene7345]

@@GoTasteandSeeJennifer I have a large cooler 1/2 full of them and cold water waiting to be trimmed and gone thru a final cleaning, they're such a pain to clean. Don't know where you are but in NS they're in season. Time to get out there, problem is they grow in around the alders and shrubs around streams and brooks that flood occasionally and the terrain is less than hospitable but the sounds of the brook on a sunny day makes up for it. Good luck!

[@nodigBKMiche]

I have eaten them for over 30yrs, & have nvr boiled them for 15 mins...I either steam or boil them....when they are soft & hv chged color, they are ready to eat😋. Great Video! 🥂

[@churly88]

Hahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahhaha

[@Lakved1]

In Hawaii they’re blanched, boiled for 2 minutes max. It’s often called “pahole” salad.

[@jackiefloretan]

From where I originally come from, Borneo Malaysia, we eat these on almost daily basis..they grow wild in the equatorial rainforest, totally organic of course..sooo delicious and nutritious...just stir fry quickly in garlic, eat with rice....yummy!

[@stephaniemercedes7968]

jacqueline I know I'm late, but do you think I could find them in Indonesia? ^^ Bali/Lombok/Flores?

[@cristlewrite7944]

Wow that's cool, I didn't know they grew outside of Canada and England. Year around too?!?! I'm jealous 😍

[@greg6107]

Thank you, Sounds delish will definitely try this.

[@yuvaranivelachamy9371]

this vegetable what is called in other language. where to find those things since im staying in town area

[@skatingcanuck9837]

I just made fiddlehead ferns for the first time in my life (and I live in Ontario where they grow). Thank you Dani for introducing me to them! Thanks to your 101 series I am using the quarantine period to explore new foods. Artichokes up next!

[@truehope287]

Can they be shipped? You could start a business! I want some!

[@fitbreeempress2570]

I grew up eating fresh harvest fiddleheads back in the Philippines 🇵🇭. They’re available all season and u can find them in the farmers market every week end or you can go out and find it yourself . Lol My dad used to sauté fiddle head with fresh grated coconut together . It’s very good it has a nutty and smokey taste to it . 😋

[@stevesteveson2537]

Sell me some!

[@emjay9323]

Thanks for this video. I had never made any before and was afraid I would screw it up, but I prepared them just as you did and they were fantastic!

[@plugrapls]

I had a fern salad in Hawaii where they used a sesame oil dressing. So so good! I hope to find some here!

[@tycobb8621]

Just found some the other day as well as some morel mushrooms. Delicious!

[@LostSaliimDreams]

I find fiddle heads here all the times, you can even grab them off the ground and take them home and eat them after a good wash and cooking. They're a common thing where I live and some people grow them in their yards too.

[@Sugaree43]

They are very good.. when i lived in New Hampshire they grew everywhere. Picking them is fun too.

[@zulkarnainmahmud7200]

I'm from sarawak, Malaysia. Located in Borneo island.. stir fry fern cooked with shrimp paste is local favourite over here. This vegetable grow wild n available all time here and I'm always plucked this vegetable at the roadside near to my dad plantation. So delicious.

[@MrsEmilyRH]

I live in southern New Brunswick and they are only $4.49/lb at the grocery store here and probably cheaper alongside the road! :-) Most common way they're eaten here is with vinegar, salt and pepper. :-) You can also blanch them for a couple minutes and freeze them (useful since the season is short). :-)

[@gardensofthegods]

Emily Hennessey I'm not trying to be a smarty here.. ... I just want you to know blanching is usually 20 to 30 seconds.. no more.. and I hear you about buying them roadside for a better price. .... I haven't been to Whole Foods and several years because I've known people that work for them.. I believe in the power of boycott.. this place will gouge you for money. I noticed their prices are always higher on the most part than other health stores .... .the corporate jerks that run the place keep cutting the benefits and tryto bully and overwork the employees by treating them like they own them. . I can't support that practice because somebody at the top needs another Mansion or yacht or is having trouble keeping up with their billionaire friends and hence needs to crunch the lowly workers under their fatcat heels. . I believe in the power of boycott but this woman here that's doing this presentation ...??.I've never seen this channel before.. ... personally she might be the nicest person in the world and is trying to be helpful but she seems kind of phony.. I'm sorry maybe I shouldn't have judged and shouldn't say that.

[@MotherHemCreations]

I grabbed a bag for 10$ at the market this hear

[@jaygeorge8964]

I just foraged some here in Florida. Never ate them before, googled ideas and got this video. I’ll be making something similar tomorrow. Thanks for sharing

[@MindOverMunch]

These look so cool! I hope to come across them soon, your sauteed preparation looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing!!

[@lilyh1039]

For weeks I ate fern salad in Hawaii. I think it’s seasonal. It is available in some supermarket and also in sunshine market. I blanched it first, then add tomatoes, onions, ginger, salt and pepper, some lemon juice. If green mango is available I chopped some and add to the salad. It’s crunchy and delicious.

[@philrockwell726]

I grew up on a dairy farm so far back in the sticks of Maine they had to pipe in sunlight. I live in Dallas Tx now and just found some at a specialty market. I have tears in my eyes waiting to eat them.

[@RainbowGardens]

I'll have to grow these! I am always looking for new things to grow in the garden. Thanks for sharing!

[@Fredfjs78]

+Rainbow Gardens you don't grow these in your garden they grow along river banks and flood plains in the spring usually mid may till first week of june

[@RainbowGardens]

derf yerots Perfect for me. :)

[@Hunnie_B]

I live in a Maritime Province in Canada, and I just bought a fresh batch of fiddleheads yesterday, I am going to prepare them just like you did in this video......they look so delicious :)

[@gardensofthegods]

Hunnie B I'm wondering if you're anywhere near Saint John's Bay ..my son lived and worked there for a year and a half. I never had the chance to visit there but would love to do to its natural beauty and the people were so unusually friendly and warm

[@lucydoe1334]

I'm korean and we eat fern heads all the time. They are harvested then dried. You buy it dried, reconstitute it, then stir fry. Then add to your bibimbap. YUM!

[@TurabShah]

I am Pakistani and we also eat same as you

[@oopswrongname8496]

can you tell me the process of drying and storing if possible? i cant find a video on it for the life of me

[@skysthelimit4234]

Yes please share drying recipe

[@Dishsoapdirt1976]

dehydrate at 125 degrees F (52 C) for about three hours. They will look diminished and wizened and be very crisp. Store them in a cool dark place in a sealed container. To use for cooking, simply rehydrate them with hot water. In about two minutes they will regain their size, texture, colour and flavour. Even the tiny stems! Drain them and use them as you would fresh ones.

[@pucklizard77504]

I love watching your videos, they help make meal planning easy for someone on the go and trying to be healthy. The "low carb", "low fat", "high protein" thing seems to get in my way, but you have options for everyone!!! Thank you!!!!!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

pucklizard77504 Thanks! I'm so glad to hear that:)

[@bynro7]

Your videos are always so informative but I especially like the out takes at the end!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

Robyn McCarthy Thanks!

[@andyandcallie]

I just spotted some of these on my daily walk. Gonna go back out today with a basket and get some! Can you freeze them?? I can't wait to try this ultra-easy recipe. Thank you for this video! I love how you get straight to the point!

[@marvinabigby5509]

I have seen these but didnt know people ate them.I have picked morels,polk,greens but not these wow tysm.

[@sophrosyne5900]

I'm in Barrie, Ontario and I just found a goldmine of fiddleheads in my neighborhood forest. I'll be going back tomorrow to pick a bunch and will cook exactly as you mentioned. I cant wait ! Asparagus was too expansive at grocery store so I'll get a pound of these free LOL

[@spunkyspaz]

I live in Sudbury, Ontario and I've been picking every year from a spot I found about 6 or 7 years ago. Just picked some today. I don't pick too much because I'm worried the damage to the plants will ruin it for the next year, but so far that hasn't happened. I still get more than enough to last me for months, of course I don't eat them every day.

[@ellesmithfagan]

Nice to meet you for the first time! I have saved this video and scanned your channel - so good!

[@reddeer1758]

These are eaten every now and then in New Zealand. :) I've harvested some before from our own forest and they are delicious. I usually harvest 'hen and chicken' ferns. Maori call them pikopiko (bush asparagus) and traditionally used to eat them as relish on potatoes or with fish in a hangi. Yum!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

Red Deer So interesting - thanks for sharing!

[@roimatah4017]

In NZ they're called Piko Piko or Maori asparagus. They're delicious! We dry & ground them to a powder to use for cooking when they're out of season

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

+Rori Hoo So interesting!! Thanks for sharing:)

[@aihlsa]

That is so smart to preserve them and use them! Thanks for sharing.

[@Princess_karen]

We were just on our property and there are tons of these there right now. They are so pretty

[@Lisa6812]

I just saw these in the grocery store here in Ontario..I will have to grab them next time. Thanx Dani!

[@nathanscoincollection4397]

I pick these every year in spring in my parents forest in Ontario.

[@NurseNMama]

My family and I pick these in alaska! Never knew what they were called; all we knew was they are soooo yummy! Loooove them!

[@lindajohnson7838]

Where we live there are hundreds in our woods….never tried them before……we will when the snow melts…….thanks for the tutorial.

[@esetapowell7662]

We have a few varieties. Blanch them split them fresh coconut cream diced tomatoes onions n you can add can tuna flakes add lemin squeeze. Called ota in my country - Fiji..they are cheap..grow wild..🇫🇯FIJI

[@Genesh12]

Thank you for this recipe! I've tasted this once a few days ago.

[@kaylacurry8631]

I've seen them in the grocery store. Might have to buy some now that I know what to do with them. I am originally from Vancouver island and used to see them in the forest all the time.

[@iammote6076]

Thanks you very much. I come from Thailand. 😊☺️😎

[@greg6107]

Love your recipes, your bread recipe is the best on UT.Wish you had a cinnamon raisin bread recipe than I would be in heaven. I will be looking for Fiddlenecks next spring I can't wait. Your going to be a rockstar!

[@xavierdaniels9434]

picked some here in maine today will be using this recipe tomorrow thanks

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

+Xavier Daniels Wow... freshly picked fiddleheads! YUM!!!

[@donroo736]

Those are some delicious fiddleheads. Im going to get some

[@toddproctor6926]

I live here in Maine and just picked about 80 pounds in 6 hours. I've done it for years and love them every which way you can think of. They are delicious raw, steamed, pickled,frittered,dried and powdered(for smoothies), marinated and kabobbed, stir-fried, etc., etc. Research how fiddle-head ferns reproduce and it will blow your mind.

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

todd proctor That is amazing! enjoy them...

[@latopbhutia5642]

In Sikkim North East India we have plantly in the woods, grown in April May we usually cook them with cottage cheese.

[@timshel011]

So cool. I'll be checking for the fiddlehead ferns right now. BTW I planted some Delicate Squash from seed and it's growing! Can't wait to harvest those babies.

[@RareCandeh]

That looks so good. I am crying over their beauty.

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

I know they're gorgeous!!

[@RareCandeh]

I just realized something. They look like shrimp!

[@vgraham4]

Looks like a must try if I run across them. Thanks for all the wonderful tips. ☺

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

Veronica Graham You are very welcome. Definitely give them a try if you can find them!

[@WildManDanWMD]

I just came back from a search for ferns. They are so much easier to find now and get next year. And what to my wandering eye appears but a river with forests of ferns for miles on either side. Im gonna need a bigger truck. Hope they are really fiddleheads. Anyway I can be sure at this stage of growth?

[@pauljjalix7400]

Appreciate your exuberance & I'm picking them in my yard right now. Disappointed to see then you failed to warn people that they develope poison when they unwind & open up as they mature.

[@Krishna-vw9ko]

In India there are actually two varieties of this plant and not easy to identify if you are inexperienced, so one variety is poisinous and the other one is safe and very delicious to eat..

[@Cunningcreeper]

I went asparagus hunting with my uncle and we found some of these and I cooked them up at my grandmas house and they were soooo good 🤤

[@FishinYT]

Just found some fiddle heads today gonna try em out

[@jmbear628]

Thank you for your teaching. I fully agree with your comments and enjoy as you suggest. Got mine coming this morning from my online organic grocery. jmo

[@esterherschkovich6499]

Am from the UK,never heard if these Wow live+learn😃

[@TheRubyFeline]

First time I came upon these was in Maine, haha, it was certainly a surprise one could eat them. I like them, don't love them, lol, one can forage them pretty easily in nature if one knows what one is doing, of course.

[@rougenoir7214]

These are the cutest vegetable ever

[@elovesp1]

I have to try this. Thanks!

[@hestelle]

So lucky to have these in Maine!

[@OdeToFoliage]

Awesome, I've never considered eating a fern before but I'm always up for something new! I'm a little late for the bandwagon this year, but I'll definitely keep an eye out in 2016!!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

+Ella Yes! Definitely give them a try next year - they are delish!

[@vanislelad5423]

Dani I'm on the west coast of Canada and our fern is wound a bit different and looks more fleshy than leafy, at least at the young age. I'll let you know how things turn out .

[@NarutoUzumakiofficial]

Yah i live in New England i never seen these before i should try to get the seeds so i can plant them. but i'll see if i can find them in the forest

[@NarutoUzumakiofficial]

***** thanks i'll check it out.

[@brandonvessell4659]

I just found some today here on the Oregon Coast

[@brandonvessell4659]

Going to cook them up later

[@jonesnin]

I enjoy harvesting them in the wild, very re;axing/ I usually harvest about 10-20 pounds and give most of it out to family and friends. The average price here in NB Canada is about $6/lb bit private sellers are usually $4/lb. Seems like Whole Foods is price gouging!

[@KamalawinKitchen]

Looks very yummy

[@FrelzChris]

I love this taste good

[@skatingcanuck9837]

Btw you have a wonderful way of explaining things. You must have been a teacher in a past life :). Have you thought of writing a cookbook?

[@sri4suja]

Those look really wonderful. Being a vegetarian, me and hubby love anything that is green and edible. I don't think we will get it here in Dubai.

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

Sujatha Srinivasan I love that - we eat anything green!! Great rule to live by!

[@mokshajetley9244]

It grows wildly in my area in spring.

[@praval_sharma]

In north India....it costs somewhere around .30$/kg or .15/lb....😊

[@hrmnpsrffn]

Try cooking these with shrimp or anchovy paste. So delicious!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

+hrmnpsrffn yum! Thanks for the suggestion :)

[@kattchan3343]

that's interesting ,I only knew Japanese way , sesami and miso paste ,and little bit suger,mirin. much with sesami ,almond or peanuts dressing. Try cooking too.

[@carmenortiz5294]

Number one thing, learn to identify the ostrich fern. Two, make sure you get the ones that look the same as in the books, and re-read the description. I bought the first batch from a company that sell wild plants in Minnesota. Three, plant them and do not harvest them the first year or two. Those ugly dried looking brownish/black things at the end of the season, are next years mother plants. (Careful you don't trip over them, guess how I learned that.) If you have the right conditions, they will spread on their own and next thing you know you'll have them all over. How do I know? I just finished cutting off a few hundred of the dried fern leafs in my yard, took me hours. (Or you could buy them picked every year and pay a lot.) Then follow the instructions on how to cook them. It would help if you find an expert, who is really old on KZbin. He will teach you how to cook them. Hint: if the person is old, that means he knows how not to get poisoned by under cooking them or over cooking to soggyness. LOL I am female 76 and still alive, I followed my own suggestions. (Next you could try, Jerusalem artichokes, plant them once and they will usually come back every year even if you live in a place that goes down to -50 degrees F, same as the beforementioned ferns. They do NOT look ever remotely like the other artichokes.)

[@Youseekveek]

I just ate this before cooking it. I didn't know I had to cook it first.

[@PantherPlayerCLAW]

RIP

[@zoozercat]

I'm trying that , thanks

[@algigirl]

in Malaysia it is called pucuk paku.. or nail shoot.. plenty of ways to cook it.

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

Interesting!

[@algigirl]

The young leaves that is light in green colour are still edible.the semi opened fiddle heads are edible too. The leaves are removed and use in variety of ways of cooking. The leaves once cook is not that bitter..if cook properly. Anyway the bitter flavour is good..

[@apisgame3125]

Yeah. U can eat everyday.. 😄

[@Mazakman]

We let them soak in water for 2 days, rinsed them again than boiled them. They taste awesome.

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

Good to know. Thanks for the tip!

[@janaprocella8268]

I think so and I will be doing that.. Asparagus is ridiculously expensive also...

[@filmnoir50]

If you buy anything at Whole Paycheck, it will be wildly overpriced, especially something like this.

[@gardensofthegods]

filmnoir50 yeah wondering if she's a shill for them

[@ozarkmountainoutdoors3255]

Wish we have this in kansas

[@freakyflow]

I took to foraging for food And my Grandfather would take me out And show me what the forest in Northern Canada has to offer Fiddleheads are every where near me Ramps And fresh Birch water steeped with Sumac ..We at the house have about 40 pickled jars of goodies Oh and a few wild blueberry And raspberry jams

[@dinamariea61]

Can these be steamed? Also, can I sauté them without oil and maybe some vegetable stock? I have some ready to be cooked today. Thanks for your video!

[@ganeshmedhi3512]

It is also known as 'DHEKIA' ( ঢেকীয়া ) in Assam . It's taste almost same like Asparagus. 😋

[@pushon10]

I don't know if we get these in the UK and even if we do, they're certainly not available in Aberdeen.

[@ilikechem03]

You can eat them raw as well. I grew up eating fiddle head. In Nepali language we call it,”NIGURO”. Great when cooked as curry with cheese or slightly diluted plain yogurt.

[@deealaskalife5497]

I like it 👍❤️👍

[@algigirl]

if cook as dish..with saute onion garlic add water.. need not blanch it. or cook in coconut milk..we called pucuk paku masak lemak

[@swatgaming6926]

We eat fried fern n it's so delicious

[@joseeaube3089]

I got some in the woods in my backyard..

[@artigoel6477]

it is also found in INDIA. In himachal pradesh it is called lingar. it is also found in J and K.

[@amitdangwal3041]

Lingra in Uttrakhand

[@larryrhindress2972]

Can you eat the root system of the fiddle head?? Please let Nova Scotia know???? I have never, however a friend says that you can. I usually start picking around May 15

[@kylasanchez]

That fern is very delicious. It grows all year round in Philippines and it's very cheap

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

kyla sanchez Really?! Here in America, they are very expensive! But still delicious.

[@kylasanchez]

Too bad. Buy yeah it's very delicious. I had it for lunch today.

[@kylasanchez]

1 serving for just 25 cents. #blessed 😄

[@lilyh1039]

I dont know but here in a Hawaii it’s $2 per bunch or 2 bunches for $3. It’s called fern not fiddleheads, grows in rivers. It’s good for salad, just blanch quickly in boiling water, do not overcook so it still crunchy.add tomatoes, onions, some ginger and vinegar or lemon. May add fish sauce if you like.

[@naveedbatt]

They can be cooked as veggies.. Add some curd or milk to increase the taste..

[@rachelmartin7574]

Dani! Love your videos! Can you do a coconut sugar 101? I feel like I'm seeing this stuff everywhere and I want to know if it really is "better for you" than other sugars. Thanks!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

R Mart I just added it to my production list!

[@rachelmartin7574]

Looking forward to it! Thanks so much!

[@jubileecandle1610]

Best thing about Vermont is fiddle heads can be found in abundance. Often a pound for 4 to 5 dollerd

[@samanthahudson-kemp204]

We get ours straight out of the woods of Western Pennsylvania, Their Free 🙏🙌😉 The Lord gave us all We need. Plus, if their ready for harvest then chances are, you'll find some Morel Mushrooms hiding somewhere close by 🍄😉

[@markizanochi65]

I just pick them in woods times 2 what you have . Like to see if anyone have new way to cook.

[@kingdavey90]

Taste like asparagus and green bean? YES PLEASE!

[@CleanandDeliciousDani]

+David Harris They're amazing!

[@zulkarnainmahmud7200]

Wow.. so expensive over there. Meanwhile in tropical climate . They grow all year and it is abundant

[@laswans.2968]

They grow everywhere in Western Washington!

[@robertoguerra5375]

I found about edible fern from a documentary about Indonesian sulfur miners… and all they could afford to eat is “rice and fern”. Could it be the same kind?