How to Preserve Fiddleheads with John DiLorenzo
By Brittany Maranger | President, ForageGirl Fiddleheads
When you bring home ForageGirl Fiddleheads from your local grocer, you’re not only getting an incredibly tasty vegetable, you’re benefitting from an almost magical superfood – since fiddleheads boast an astonishing profile of vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids.
Although fresh fiddleheads are typically only available in May and June, there are ways you can enjoy their magical properties well beyond the summer. Just ask my dad. He’s an INSANE canner, who specializes in hot peppers. He scours world markets for peppers, cans them and adds to his massive stash in the fruit cellar. He NEVER shares his hot pepper canning recipes. Fortunately, I was able to get my hands on his fiddleheads recipe and here it is!
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs fiddleheads
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- White vinegar
- Vegetable oil
- Approximately 20, 250-ml mason jars
Directions:
- Under cold water, wash the fiddleheads thoroughly to remove the ramenta (brown papery shell)
- Using a paring knife, trim the dark tips of the fiddleheads
- In a large pot, cover the fiddleheads in cold water
- Stir-in 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and lemon slices (the lemon helps prevent discolouration)
- Refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring a couple times
- Drain the pot and re-wash the fiddleheads in cold water
- Place a large pot on the stove and add a mix of 2/3 water and 1/3 vinegar (enough liquid so the fiddleheads are completely submerged)
- Bring to a boil and add two round tablespoons of kosher salt
- Add the fiddleheads and cook for 7 minutes
- Strain and quick rinse with warm water
- Thoroughly but carefully pat dry
- Using disinfected jars, fill with fiddleheads
- Fill jars with vegetable oil, up to the seem line
- Seal and turn upside down for one day to secure the seal
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