Pickled fiddlehead ferns that stay crunchy. Perfect for adding to sandwiches or enjoying where you'd use pickles. Yield: 4 pint jars, I like the Ball wide-mouth style
2-2.5lbsfresh fiddlehead fernstightly coiled and firm
2cupsrice wine vinegar*see note
4cupswater
2tablespoonsalt
4-5small cloves of garliclightly crushed
1-2sprigs of fresh dill or your favorite herb per jar
A 1inch peel of lemon zest for each jar
1.5gallonswater for blanching the ferns
Instructions
Pickle liquid
Bring the 4 cups water and salt to a boil, then remove from the heat and add the vinegar. This is your pickling liquid-reserve it until needed.
Blanch the fiddles
Bring the 1.5 gallons of water to a rolling boil. Add the fiddlehead ferns to the pot, then cook for exactly 1.5 minutes (90 seconds) covering the pot to increase the heat, stirring the fiddles occasionally to ensure even blanching. Immediately remove the fiddleheads to drain and stop their cooking.
Packing the jars
Pack pint jars full of the still-hot fiddleheads, placing a piece of lemon zest, a clove of garlic, and a sprig or two of thyme in each jar (or whatever flavorings you're using).
Reheat the pickle liquid to rolling boil in small pot and pour into the jars, covering all of the fiddleheads, up to the very top of the jar. Screw on the lids and and turn the jars upside down. Leave the jars to cool, for a few hours like this.
Cooling, sealing and storing
After the jars are completely cool, inspect the jars, you should find they've formed seals, just as if you were to use a water bath canner, but without the excess heat and time that would make them soft. Voila! Crisp pickled fiddleheads.
Look over the jars carefully to make sure they've all formed seals. Refrigerate any that haven't sealed.
Video
Notes
Make your own seasoning blends
The seasonings are optional here, all that really matters is the water and vinegar, note there is no sugar in the recipe, either.
Vinegars
Rice wine vinegar will have the mildest flavor and acidity. You can also use apple cider, white, or white wine/champagne vinegar which are more acidic.