Whether you know them as warabi (Japanese), ho'i'o (Hawaiian, or pohole in Maui), ostrich fern (most of the mainland) or fiddlehead ferns, the Matteucia struthiopteris is the young, edible, thightly coiled shoot of the fern that resembles the end of a violin or fiddle. The shoots remain coiled for about two weeks before they unfurl into the delicate, lacy greenery with which we are most familiar.
Fiddlehead ferns are a very rich source of Vitamins A and C, and have a deep green color and taste similar to a combination of asparagus and okra, Its crispy texture when blanched lends itself to wonderful salads, but there are many other cooking methods using this easily gathered food souce.
We are lucky that they are available to us year-round. In the mainland they are found from Virginia to Canada, usually between the months of April and July. If you have never gone fern hunting before, find a friend who can take you the first time.
Fiddlehead harvesting areas can be as closely a guarded secret as a favorite fishing hole. I'm very fortunate having friends who didn't mind sharing their 'secret' place with me.
Look for smooth, shiny dark green coils covered with a light tan 'fuzz'. Snap the stem off with your hand at the place where it gives the least resistance and gather them in a basket or open container. On a hot day any wild edible will begin to decompose rather quickly in a plastic bag.
Choose small firm, brightly colored ferns with no signs of softness or yellowing. If not planning on using right away, refrigerate them, tightly wrapped in paper towels, for no more than 2 days. They should be washed and the ends trimmed before briefly cooking by steaming, simmering or sauteing.
The following recipe is the result of playing with warabi during a cooking class. It was so good, we used it in a couple of our regular class menus. The end result will never be completely smooth, but it will be creamy.
Cream of Warabi Soup
4 cups fiddleheads, fresh & cleaned
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish:
Zest from 1 lemon or lime
Paprika to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. add the fiddleheads, return to boil and cook until they are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Chop coarsely and reserve.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan or saute skillet with high sides. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionaly until translucent; add the fiddleheads and saute for a few more minutes. Add some of the chicken stock, stir and bring to a gentle boil. Cover and cook until fiddleheads are throroughly tender, about 5 more minutes.
Using a blender or food processor, process the fiddleheads with some of the stock until smooth. You will have to do this in a couple of batches. Pour back into the saucepan as you finish each batch. Add the rest of the chicken stock and the milk or cream, reducing heat to medium, but be careful not to boil or the milk might curdle. If it does, continue stirring and adding a bit more stock until the mixture turns smooth again.
If you prefer a creamier soup, add less stock and more cream, or if your taste leans toward lighter soups, omit the milk or cream altogether. I find I do not need to add salt, but do add a bit of freshly ground pepper .
Serve in individual bowls, garneshing with the lemon zest and sprinkle some paprika on top.
Serves 4 to 6 portions
This recipe and others using the fiddlehead fern can be found in my cookbook "Tropical Taste", now on it's second printing!
