Spring Salad with Fiddleheads & Blackberry Vinaigrette

I cried the first time it snowed on Easter. I was 7 years old. I cried because Easter was in April that year and it's not supposed to snow in April. Although I grew up in Winnipeg, also known as "Winterpeg", and was no stranger to snow, it just seemed wrong. It was supposed to be spring. I would be in for a nasty surprise when I eventually moved to Alberta.

But you know it's spring in Western Canada when the fiddleheads are out! A fiddlehead is a spring thing. I ate my first fiddlehead a few years back and was hooked! I had heard the word, but had no idea it was a food. Then I made this delicious Spring Salad with fiddleheads and Blackberry Vinaigrette! 

Jump to:

• 💭What is a Fiddlehead?
• 💭Where to get them?
• 📖 Variations
• 💭Top Tip
• 👪 Serving Size
• 🌡️Storage
• 🥘How to Cook and Freeze Fiddleheads
• ⭐ Reviews
• 📋 Spring Salad with Fiddleheads Recipe

💭What is a Fiddlehead?

A fiddlehead is the emerging sprout of the ostrich fern – just as the fronds come out of the ground. They’re rolled up in a coil, and look like the tuning end of a violin or fiddle. They are one of the coolest looking plants around! And they taste amazing- sort of like fresh asparagus, but better, according to my daughter.

💭Where to get them?

You can even pick them yourself! Fiddleheads are one of the first greens to emerge in the forests and along the river banks in the spring, but you have to know what you’re looking for. At this time of year, there are different kinds of ferns emerging and not all of them are edible. The ostrich fern is the one you’re looking for. But unless you have an experienced forager with you, picking and eating them is not recommended.

I have never actually foraged for my own fiddleheads, but this year I was beyond tempted, as I waited and waited for fiddleheads to come to my local grocery store. So when I finally got them, I froze them so I can eat them all year round.

📖 Variations

• Vegetarian: skip the meat and use pine nuts instead
• Fiddleheads: if you can't get your hands on fiddleheads, use asparagus instead
• Dressing: this blackberry vinaigrette is a great pairing, but my Honey Lime Cilantro Dressing also tastes great with this salad!

💭Top Tip

If you use the blackberry vinaigrette, I highly recommend throwing some of the extra blackberries in your freezer for "ice cubes",  if you haven't had a chance to chill your white wine (or even if you have). I love to do this all summer. Any berry will do, but blackberries are the best!

👪 Serving Size

This fiddlehead salad recipe is 6 servings. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.

🌡️Storage

Store the fiddlehead salad separately from the dressing and chicken for up to 3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

The first summer I lived in Alberta (1992) it snowed in August. I cried again, but harder. When you live near the mountains, you come to expect some wonky weather patterns and any form of precipitation is fair game. In Calgary you are wise to wait until the May long weekend to plant your flowers. And even then there is no guarantee.

🥘How to Cook and Freeze Fiddleheads

You need to rinse and clean fiddleheads, then add them to boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.

Because fiddleheads only come around once a year, I like to buy a lot and freeze them. However, they require blanching (quick cooking, then plunging into cold water)

To prepare fiddleheads for freezing:

1. Bring a pot of cold water to a boil
2. Add the fiddleheads, then bring up to a boil again.
3. Boil for only 2 minutes.
4. Drain

5. Immediately put into a bowl of ice cold water. 
6. Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towel and pat dry with more paper towel. 
7. Freeze in freezer bags for up to a year. 
8. *IMPORTANT: When you remove them from the freezer you MUST BOIL FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE EATING (OTHERWISE THEY ARE NOT SAFE TO EAT)

It snowed here 2 days AFTER the May long weekend this year. 

I tried to save all my flowers.

It even snowed on my wedding day (July 27, 2002). I'm just grateful we decided to get married in BC, where it was a balmy 25 degrees C.

I am happy to report I successfully saved my flowers and a day later it felt like spring again. This is Alberta.  In the 2+ decades I have lived here, I have witnessed snow in every single month of the year. I'm not kidding. Nor am I saying I'm not bummed by it, but I no longer cry. I have just lowered my expectations.

So, enjoy spring because it could literally be winter again tomorrow! And enjoy some fiddleheads, as they only come around once a year.

And if you are looking for more delicious fiddlehead recipes, try my Cheesy Sautéed Fiddleheads and Cheesy Fiddlehead Soup!

So, if you're looking for a fiddlehead salad recipe, you'll love this one!

⭐ Reviews

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