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Vegetables and Fruit...The Invite Us Along! Campaign |
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Did you know?
Fiddleheads are the curled, edible shoots of the ostrich fern. Fiddleheads must be washed and cooked thoroughly before eating them to avoid illness. Although the cause of illness is not known, Health Canada believes it is most likely the result of a natural toxin present in the fiddlehead.
Some people think fiddleheads taste like something between asparagus and broccoli. Fiddleheads are a source of vitamin C. One half cup of boiled fiddleheads is one serving of vegetables and fruit.
Buying
- Look for small, bright green, tightly coiled fiddleheads, no larger than 1½ inches in diameter.
Storing
- Wrap in paper towels and store in the refrigerator crisper.
- For best results eat the same day that you buy them.
- Fiddleheads freeze well, when blanched and dried.
Preparing
- Remove as much of the brown papery husk as possible.
- Wash fiddleheads in several changes of fresh, cold water.
- Cook fiddleheads by boiling for 15 minutes or by steaming for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Discard water used for boiling or steaming.
- Boil/steam fiddleheads prior to sautéing, frying, baking or using in casseroles, soups, salads or omelettes.
- Never eat raw or undercooked fiddleheads.
- Visit Health Canada regarding additional food safety tips for fiddleheads, including information on freezing.
Last updated May 2012
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