Fiddlehead fern

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Fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens are feathered ferned leaves, which are harvested for use as vegetables.

Left at the factory, each fiddlehead will open the reel onto a new leaf (rotating vernation). When the fiddlehead is harvested at the beginning of the season before the leaves are opened and peaked, they are cut close to the ground.

Fiddleheads have antioxidant activity, are a source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and contain lots of iron and fiber. Certain varieties of the fiddlehead have been shown to be carcinogenic. (See bracken poisoning)

The fiddlehead resembles a curved ornamentation (called scroll ) on the tip of a string instrument, such as a violin. This is also called crozier, after the arched staff used by the bishops, who come from the shepherd's villain.

Video Fiddlehead fern

Variety

The fiddleheads of certain ferns are eaten as cooked leaf vegetables. The most popular ones are:

• Western fern sword, Polystichum munitum , "king of north-western ferns."
• Bracken, Pteridium aquilinum , found worldwide (Poison if not fully cooked)
• Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris , found in northern regions around the world, and central/eastern part of North America (Health Warning)
• Lady fern, Athyrium filix-femina , in most of the temperate northern hemisphere.
• Cinnamon ferns or squirrel spikes, Osmunda cinnamomea , are found in the eastern part of North America, though they are not so well suited as ostrich nails.
• royal fern, Osmunda regalis , found all over the world
• Midin, or Stenochlaena palustris , is found in Sarawak, where it is valued as a local delicacy
• Zenmai or flower fern, Osmunda japonica , found in East Asia
• Fried vegetables, Athyrium esculentum , found throughout Asia and Oceania

The ornamental value of Fiddleheads makes them very expensive in temperate climates where they are not abundant.

Maps Fiddlehead fern

Resources and harvest

Available on a seasonal basis, fiddleheads are both consumed and commercially harvested in the spring. When choosing a fiddlehead, it is recommended to take only half a peak per plant/cluster for sustainable harvesting. Each plant produces several peaks that turn into leaves; repeating over-picking will eventually kill the plant. Maintaining sustainable harvesting methods is important in the propagation of non-agricultural food species.

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Culinary used

Fiddlehead has been a part of traditional diets in most of Northern France since the early Middle Ages, throughout Asia, and also among Native Americans for centuries. They are also part of the diet in the Russian Far East where they are often taken in the wild in autumn, preserved with salt during the winter, and then consumed in the spring.

Asian Cuisine

In Indonesia, young fiddlehead ferns are cooked in a rich coconut sauce flavored with chilies, galangal, lemon grass, turmeric leaves and other spices. This dish is called fern curry or goulash curry , and comes from Minangkabau tribe in Indonesia. In the Philippines, fiddlehead fern or pakà is a delicacy often made into salads with tomatoes, scraps of salted eggs, and simple vinaigrette sauce.

In East Asia, the fiddleheads of bracken ( Pteridium aquilinum ) are eaten as vegetables, called warabi ( ? ) in Japanese, gosari ( ??? ) in Korea, and juÃÆ'Â © ca ii ( ?? ) in China and Taiwan. In Korea, the typical banchan (small side dish) is gosari-namul ( ????? ), consisting of ready-fernbrake fiddleheads that have been pan-fried. It is also a component of the popular bibimbap dish. In Japan, bracken fiddleheads are a valuable dish, and roasting famous fiddleheads to neutralize toxins in vegetables.

In Japan, flower fiddleheads ( Osmunda japonica ), known as zenmai (? ), and also the ostrich ostrich ( Matteuccia struthiopteris ), known as kogomi (? ?? ), usually eaten in the spring. Fiddleheads in Japan are considered sansai , or wild vegetables.

Indian cuisine

In the Indian subcontinent, it is found in the northern and northeastern Himalayan states of India.

In Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, it is known locally as lingri and is famously used for making pickles lingri ka achaar . In the Kangra Valley it is called lungdu in the Kangri dialect. Inside Chamba it is known as "Kasrod".

In Garhwal the division of Uttarakhand, it is called languda and eaten as a vegetable.

In Darjeeling and Sikkim areas, it is called niyuro (??????) and common as a vegetable side dish, often mixed with local cheese. It's also pickled.

In Assam, this is known as dhekia xak (????????); it is a popular side dish.

In the Jammu area of ​​Jammu and Kashmir, it is known as kasrod (?????). The most famous Dogra dish is kasrod ka achaar (pickled fiddlehead fern). It is also cooked as a side dish of dried vegetables to eat with rotis or paratha.

Nepalese Cuisine

In Nepal, this is seasonal food and is called niyuro (??????) and is loved as a vegetable side dish, often cooked with local butter. It's also pickled.

North American Cuisine

Ostriches ( Matteuccia struthiopteris ), known locally as "fiddlehead ferns", grow wild in the wetlands of northeastern North America in the spring. The Maliseet, Mi'kmaq and Penobscot people in Eastern Canada and Maine have traditionally harvested fiddleheads, and the vegetables were first introduced to Acadian settlers in the early 18th century, and then to the Royal Loyalist colonies as they began to settle in New Brunswick at 1780s. Fiddleheads remain a traditional dish in these areas, with most of the commercial harvest going on in New Brunswick, Quebec and Maine. The largest maker, packer and distributor in North America, the wild fiddlehead, established the first commercial franchhead farm in Ontario at Port Colborne in 2006. The Fiddlehead producing region is also located in Nova Scotia, Vermont and New Hampshire. The village of Tide Head in Canada, New Brunswick, calls itself "Fiddlehead Capital of the World."

Fiddlehead is sold fresh and frozen. Fresh Fiddlehead is available on the market only for a few weeks in the spring, and is quite expensive. Fiddlehead and frozen sauce, however, can be found in several stores throughout the year. Vegetables are usually steamed, boiled and/or stir-fried before heat, with hollandaise sauce, butter, lemon, vinegar and/or garlic, or cold in salad or with mayonnaise.

To cook the fiddlehead, it is advisable to remove the brown skin before washing in some cold water changes, then boil or steam. Boiling reduces the bitterness and content of tannins and toxins. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related a number of cases of food-borne diseases with fiddleheads in the early 1990s. Although they did not identify toxins in the fiddlehead, the findings of the case suggest that the fiddlehead should be thoroughly cooked before meals. Cooking time recommended by the health authority is 15 minutes if boiled and 10 to 12 minutes if steamed. The cooking method recommended by gourmets is to spread a thin layer in a steam basket and steam slightly, until it is gently crunchy.

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Health effects

Fiddlehead contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They are a source of antioxidants and dietary fiber. They are low in sodium, but are rich in potassium, which may make them suitable for people who need a low-sodium diet.

Fiddleheads may store microbes, and should be washed and cooked before meals.

Many nail plants also contain thiaminase enzymes, which break down thiamine. This can cause beriberi, if consumed excessively in excess.

Furthermore, there is some evidence that some types of fiddleheads, eg. bracken ( Pteridium genus ), is carcinogenic. It is advisable to fully cook the fiddleheads to destroy the shikimic acid. The ostrich spikes ( Matteuccia struthiopteris ) are not considered to cause cancer, although there is no toxic evidence yet to be identified.

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Note

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References

• Lyon, Amy, and Lynne Andreen. In the Vermont Kitchen . HP Books: 1999. ISBNÃ, 1-55788-316-5. pp 68-69.
• Strickland, Ron. Vermonters: The Oral History of the Lower Country to the Northeast Kingdom . New England Press: 1986. ISBNÃ, 0-87451-867-9.
• Barrett, L.E. and Diket, Lin. FiddleMainia . WaveCloud Corporation: 2014. ISBNÃ, 978-1-62217-164-4.

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External links

• Media related to Fiddlehead fern in Wikimedia Commons
• Facts about Fiddleheads

Source of the article : Wikipedia