The fern is edible in two forms: bracken and ostrich. The latter often grows in apartments and houses as an ornamental plant, but it can do more than just decorate the interior. It differs from bracken in the almost complete absence of bitterness, and the shape of the leaves is more similar to sea kale.

How long does it take to cook fern?

The duration of cooking of the fern depends on its size: thick stems take longer to cook. Typically, the process of preparing a fresh product begins with long soaking - at least 2 hours. The salted fern is soaked even longer - up to 12-15 hours, and only then it is boiled.

Important! Bracken fern takes about 10-15 minutes longer to cook; this must be taken into account before adding the plant to boiling water.

After boiling, cook fresh or salted fern for 7 minutes, but before the end of cooking you should try one stalk; if it tastes bitter, then add another 4-5 minutes to the process. The total cooking after boiling should not take more than 20-25 minutes.

But in the cooking technology there is one fundamental point, if violated, the taste of the plant can turn out to be tasteless and bitter - this is changing the water.

How to cook fresh fern

After the procedures for soaking the product have been completed, you should begin cooking.

Important! Please note that when cooking bracken you will need 3-4 pans of boiling water, and when cooking ostrich you will need to change the water once (this is due to the fact that it has less bitterness).

Having taken the required number of pans of sufficient volume, begin to heat the water in them:

• as soon as the liquid boils in one of the pans, add some salt and add fern;
• at high power, bring the stove to a boil and cook according to the technology for 7 minutes (or 5 minutes for bracken);
• the plant is washed under cold water and placed in the next pan with boiling liquid (then after 5 minutes, the water is drained again for the bracken, and the ostrich is boiled for 12 minutes);
• After the specified time, try the plant, if it is not bitter, and the stems remain crisp with normal elasticity, then the product is ready!

After boiling, fern can be used as a pleasant addition to meat or main dishes, in warm salads, cold appetizers and many other dishes.

A small set of tips will help you prepare fresh or salted fern easier and better the first time:

• When soaking, the water should be changed regularly;
• fresh fern needs to be cleared of leaves at the very tips, they are not suitable for food;
• fresh fern can be boiled without soaking, but be sure to try it. If bitterness remains, cook;
• Fern needs a lot of water for the bitterness to completely leave it.

There is no need to add any spices during the cooking process, as they can spoil the delicate aroma of the plant.

Several delicious recipes with fern

With boiled fern it is easy to prepare very tasty, satisfying first and second courses. It doesn't have a lot of calories - about 34 kcal per 100 g of finished fern, but its nutritional properties are amazingly high.

Fish salad “Warm abundance”

The appetizer is eaten warm; for preparation you need to take 100-150 g of boiled fern, the same amount of fish and a raw egg. Additionally, you will need canned corn and a piece of butter to taste. A very quick dish is prepared like this:

• melt butter in a frying pan;
• put fern;
• add boiled or baked fish to it;
• pour in the egg;
• As soon as the white begins to turn white, add corn.

After adding corn, the salad takes no more than 2-3 minutes to prepare. You can surprise any guests with such a quick and tasty dish!

Appetizing cabbage soup with fern “Overseas”

To prepare unusual cabbage soup with fern in a 4 liter pan you will need:

• 300 g of fresh fern, the same amount of plain cabbage;
• meat on the bone or a can of beef stew (0.5 kg);
• 2 onions, 4 cloves of garlic and a bunch of dill;
• 2 spoons of dried basil, 1 spoon of pepper;
• 3 tbsp. l. sunflower oil, as well as salt to taste.

Finely chopped cabbage is placed in boiling water; while the cabbage is cooking, chop the onion and fern for 15 minutes. Then they are fried in a frying pan for about 20 minutes. Lay everything out and cook for 10 minutes along with the cabbage.

If you take meat on the bone, then put it in cold water before boiling; if it is a stew, then add it after the fern and cook for another 7-10 minutes. After this, add finely chopped garlic and all the spices and cook for another 7 minutes. At the end, add chopped dill.

When served, this aromatic soup goes best with low-fat sour cream.

Tomatoes with fern “Chinese holiday”

To prepare a delicious snack, you need to take 150 g of fresh medium-sized tomatoes, 60 g of fern and 40 g of onions. You will also need a little vegetable oil, dill, parsley and salt.

The juice and seeds are removed, leaving tomato circles convenient for stuffing. The boiled fern is cut and fried, onions are added and sautéed. The filling is combined with chopped herbs and placed in tomatoes. Top with mayonnaise and sprinkle with herbs again.

Fern fried with onions can also be added to various vegetable stews, giving them a charming aroma. A simply boiled product without oil will perfectly complement dietary vegetables baked in the oven. With it, the dish will turn out to be very nutritious with a minimum amount of calories.

They just haven't reached your table yet. How long to cook fern, how to do it correctly and why this gourmet product is so delicious - we’ll tell you everything in our article.

How long to cook fresh fern

Various herbs are eaten, and fern is no exception. Two types of ferns are suitable for food, bracken and ostrich. They are harvested in the spring, when the plant just appears, and the early succulent shoots are collected. They are called “rachis” - these are shoots of young ferns that have a delicate taste.

How long to cook the fern depends on its size, as thicker stems will take longer to cook. Yes, only shoots are eaten, so leaf buds and other green parts must be removed. Then the prepared stems need to be soaked in water for at least 10-12 hours, preferably in the evening.

Now take one stem and taste it, if it tastes bitter, you need to finish cooking it. How long to cook the fern depends on how quickly it stops tasting bitter, another 5 minutes, and then taste again until it acquires a delicate taste. The total cooking time for how long to cook fresh fern is 15-20 minutes.

The taste of the entire dish will depend on how long you cook the fresh fern until it is ready. It is often added to meat dishes to highlight their delicate taste, but in general, fern is loved in the East. Chinese cuisine is replete with recipes that contain this ingredient. Therefore, if you are a fan of such exotic things, carefully study the instructions for how long you need to cook fresh fern until it is ready.

How long to cook bracken fern

These shoots have a delicate taste that is somewhat reminiscent of the taste of hazelnuts. But to cook them correctly, you need to know how long to cook the fern. Fresh bracken shoots should be prepared in the same way, changing the water every 5 minutes until the bitterness disappears completely. In general, the total time to cook fresh bracken fern until tender is 30 minutes.

Where to use the boiled fern next? You can make preparations for the winter from it; to do this, you need to prepare it in the manner described above. How long to cook fern depends on its variety, but then it can be salted in the same way as we salt spinach, sorrel or other greens.

How to cook fern

Fern is not the most common product, but increasingly it can be found on the shelves of shops and markets. And in some regions of our country it can be collected, for example, like mushrooms.
Only two types of ferns are consumed - bracken and ostrich. Only young shoots of this plant can be collected and eaten. They are called "rakhis". They should be no more than 20 cm. If you collect ferns yourself, you can determine if they are edible by breaking the stem - it should break easily and with a crunch. Fresh fern should be prepared immediately. At the tips of the stems there are the beginnings of fresh leaves; they must be removed before cooking. Most often, such a plant is prepared in two ways - salting and canning. Since fern is a bitter plant, it must be soaked in plenty of water for 12-15 hours before cooking. The water should be changed periodically. Salted fern should be soaked for 2 hours.

How long to cook?
Fresh fern should be rinsed under running water before cooking.
Bring a large amount of water to a boil. Place the fern stems in boiling water. After boiling, reduce heat and cook for 5-7 minutes. Try the fern: if it tastes bitter, change the water and boil again. It is completely ready in 10-15 minutes. The fern should remain slightly crispy. But the shoots should bend, not break. Drain the water and cool the fern. By the way, bracken cooks 10 minutes longer.
The calorie content of fern is 34 kcal per 100 grams of product.

salt fern

Wash the plant. For pickling, you can use an enamel or glass jar. Sprinkle the bottom of the jar with salt. Lay the fern stems in layers, sprinkling each with salt. Note that the higher the layer, the thinner it should be. Place under pressure in a cool place for 2 weeks. After this, drain the brine and transfer the fern to a new container. You also need to fold it in layers, but now the thin layer will be at the bottom. Prepare a saline solution with at least 22% salt. This salted fern can be stored for up to 3 years.

How to cook fern with meat

The recipe is indicated without the number of ingredients, since you can choose the quantity according to your taste. We will need:
1. Beef (pulp)
2. Salty bracken fern
3. Onion
4. Soy sauce
5. Black pepper
6. Olive oil

Preparation
Soak the fern in water according to the recommendations above. Try it, it should be fresh, without bitterness. Cut it into 4-5 cm pieces.
Cut the beef into small slices and marinate a little. The marinade is prepared as follows: soy sauce, olive oil are mixed in a bowl, black pepper is added. No need to add salt.
Chop the onion. Fry until golden brown in olive oil.
In another well-heated frying pan, quickly fry the meat for 5-10 minutes. Add the fern to the meat and fry for another 5-7 minutes. When the fern inside is still crispy, add the fried onions and season with soy sauce. Mix well. If necessary, add salt. Turn off the heat, close the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. You can serve it hot or cold. Bon appetit!

Greetings to all readers and guests of the blog. I immediately want to ask you one question: “Have you ever eaten fern?” And don’t tell me it’s inedible, and I’m not crazy). After all, this plant is not only widely used in food, it is also stored for the winter. And it tastes like something close to mushrooms.

In fact, of all the types of ferns, only bracken and ostrich are considered edible. Plus, you need to know when and how to collect this crop, and which part can be eaten and which cannot, and also know how to properly prepare the plant and combine it with other products. We will talk about all this today.

So, if you are going to use this herb for food purposes, then you only need to collect the sprouts, which are called rachis. There is no exact time of collection, but scientists determine the period in the first or second ten days of May.

If you haven’t had time to harvest this type of harvest yourself, don’t worry. Now the plant is actively sold in markets, especially in stalls with Korean or Japanese cuisine. But the product will most likely be salted, frozen or dried. This also should not confuse or frighten you, because from any preparation you can prepare a tasty and healthy dish.

Remember that bracken is a low-calorie product. Therefore, it is used with great success in the diet menu.

If you are planning to go shopping for rakhis for the first time, then I will give you a couple of useful tips:

• on the top of the sprout there must be a “squiggle” that looks like a snail;
• the sprout itself should be greenish in color with the finest fluff;
• the collection of raw materials should be done when the rachis begins to stretch upward, and the optimal length is considered to be a sprout from 20 to 30 cm;
• the petioles should be juicy and not rough, and should crunch when squeezed;
• The plants must be cut so that “stumps” of 4-5 cm remain;
• Sort the harvest by length and color, collect it in a bunch;
• the collected workpiece cannot be stored for a long time and without processing begins to darken, becoming unsuitable for consumption;
• the bundles must be quickly delivered to the place where they will be processed, placing them on a hard bottom so that the sun's rays do not reach them and there is good ventilation;
• The shelf life before processing should not exceed 9-10 hours, but it is better if you process the rachis within 3-4 hours.

But before you start learning how to prepare green herbs, it is necessary and important to know and take into account what benefits or harm the plant can bring. After all, any product gives completely different results for different people.

I will briefly talk about the main points of how bracken fern is useful and for whom it is contraindicated.

In medicine, this herb has long been used and is indicated for patients who suffer from dry and wet pleurisy; headaches and chest pains; jaundice; aching joints and bone pain; diarrhea; tinnitus; disruptions in the functioning of the intestines, stomach and spleen.

Also, a decoction of leaves and roots helps with constipation. In addition, the plant relieves pain, relieves worms and eliminates urine.

Bracken contains a large amount of iodine, which saves people from leukemia and radiation sickness. Plus, shoots quickly restore impaired metabolism, which helps get rid of extra pounds. It is also recommended for people who have experienced nervous stress. A positive feature is that a dish prepared from fern brings the pulse back to normal, replenishes the lack of vitamins in the body, removes heavy and harmful metals, improves the functioning of the endocrine system, and increases performance. It treats rheumatism, hemorrhoids, sciatica and is used for ulcers and cramps.

In addition to the positive aspects, there are also negative ones. After all, this plant also contains toxic substances. Therefore, fern is strictly forbidden to be consumed by women who are breastfeeding or pregnant. It is imperative to monitor the dosage, otherwise nausea and severe headaches may occur. Do not use low-quality shoots and leaves.

Remember that raw fern shoots are poisonous and must be boiled or salted.

Recipe for salted fern

Summarizing our information, I note once again that only rachis, that is, shoots with leaves that have not yet opened, are eaten.

It is worth noting that from the shoots they make not only preparations for the winter, but also cook soups, make salads and various dishes with the addition of meat. But of course, it is best to prepare fern for future use, that is, salt or pickle it. Because in this state it will be possible to prepare any dish from it.

Ingredients:

• Fern - 1 kg;
• Salt - 500 grams.

Cooking method:

1. First of all, wash the petioles of the plant well.

2. Take an enamel pan and sprinkle the bottom with salt, and place a layer of rachis on top. Then sprinkle salt again and add a layer of sprouts again. Lay out the layers in an overlapping manner until the end of the green grass. Then place a 1 kg weight on top and put the pan in a cool place for two weeks.

The final layer should be salt!

3. After the time has passed, drain all the liquid from the pan; it cannot be consumed! Pour it down the sink; you won't need it anymore. Place the salted fern in jars and fill with salted brine (use 1 part salt to 5 parts water). Add ascorbic acid (0.5 g per liter). And roll up the lids.

4. Jars should be stored in a cool place. Before using it as food, soak the herb in water for two days to remove the salt.

This method is the fastest and most reliable in preparing food for the winter.

How to make bracken salad in Korean

Considering that man is still a very lazy creature, many people do not pickle the plant themselves and most often buy it, again in salted form. Well, or those who are not lazy and have their own preparations do not eat grass in its pure form, although this is not prohibited. And he makes savory snacks from it, for example, a spicy salad. Therefore, for you, a recipe for a delicious treat for any side dish, for example.

Ingredients:

• Salted fern - 600 gr.;
• Vegetable oil - 100 ml;
• Soy sauce - 70 ml;
• Ground coriander - 1 teaspoon;
• Hot red pepper - 1/4 teaspoon;
• Garlic - 4 cloves.

Cooking method:

1. Soak the salted preparation for half a day, while changing the water 3-4 times. Take a saucepan with plenty of water and place it on high heat. While the water is boiling, cut the fern into 3 parts and place in boiling water.

2. Now cook the plant for exactly two minutes after boiling.

4. Place the plant in a clean saucepan from which all excess water has drained. Squeeze the garlic on top through a garlic press, add coriander, pepper, oil and soy sauce. Mix everything well. If desired, you can add a little salt to the appetizer.

5. Let the dish brew for several hours and then serve.

Option for preparing a salted dish with the addition of meat

The next type of food made from healthy young shoots will be a real dinner. After all, rachis goes very well with any type of meat. So I advise everyone to try this food.

Ingredients:

• Pork - 300 gr.;
• Fennel - 1 pc.;
• Chili - 1 pc.;
• Fern - 600 gr.;
• Soy sauce - 30 grams.

Cooking method:

1. Wash and finely chop the chili and fennel.

If you don't have fennel, you can substitute celery.

2. Rinse the pork and cut into medium pieces.

3. Heat a frying pan with olive oil and fry the pieces of pork; you want the meat fried, not stewed.

4. Then fry the fennel and chili in the same pan.

5. Soak the shoots of the plant in water in advance, as described in the previous recipe, and cut into several pieces. Add to the pan and saute along with the fennel and chilli.

6. After 5 minutes, add pork to the mixture, mix everything well and turn off the heat.

7. Then pour in soy sauce and mix everything again.

8. Before serving, garnish the dish with dried black sesame seeds.

How to freeze fresh bracken for the winter

Let's take a little break from preparing dishes with the addition of our green herbs and touch on another method of preparing for future use. But we will no longer salt it, but freeze it.

I should immediately note that fresh fern cannot be frozen; it must first be boiled, otherwise it will spoil. In general, read the following photo method and I think you won’t have any questions. And from frozen shoots, just like from salted shoots, you can subsequently prepare any dish.

Work process:

1. First of all, remove excess debris from the rachis and cut into several parts.

2. Pour water into a saucepan, add a little salt and put on fire. When the liquid boils, add the prepared shoots. Boil them for 5-7 minutes. Then drain in a colander.

3. When the plant has cooled and all the water has drained, put it in bags and freeze.

It is better to first lay out the cooked shoots on a tray and freeze them. And then put it into bags and store it in the freezer.

Here is a quick and original way to store ferns.

Making fern salad with chicken

Well, let’s return to the question of what else tasty can be made with this useful plant. And as I said above, rakhis complement meat well. Therefore, now I suggest you make a snack according to the following recipe.

Ingredients:

• Chicken fillet - 300 gr.;
• Onion - 3 pcs.;
• Boiled fern stems (or salted) - 300 gr.;
• Salt, pepper - to taste;
• Vegetable oil - for dressing.

Cooking method:

1. Peel the onion and finely cut into cubes. Grind the meat too. If you have a salted fern, then soak it in water for several hours in advance.

2. Heat a frying pan with vegetable oil and fry the chicken with onions, adding salt and pepper to the mixture.

3. Then add the stems to the pan and simmer everything for a few minutes. Cool the dish and serve with fresh tomatoes.

By the way, you can eat this food as a hot dish.

Pickling bracken fern at home

In conclusion, I would like to say that this green grass can and should be eaten (if there are no contraindications), but of course not in its raw form, otherwise you can get poisoned. Remember that only young shoots with leaves that have not yet unfurled are suitable.

Most often, ferns are salted and prepared for the winter. They can also be boiled and frozen. And only then do they prepare different dishes: salads or savory snacks with meat and vegetables.

If you have freshly harvested rachis and you are not going to prepare them, then it is still important to marinate them correctly first, and only then start eating). Therefore, try another marinating technology.

I hope that you will like the dishes prepared from bracken fern, and that you will not only diversify your diet, but also fill your body with useful substances. Bon appetit everyone and see you again!

Ferns grow in the forests of almost the entire country. They grow in swampy areas and are very bushy and bushy. The flower is very beautiful, however, the most important thing about it is not its beauty, but the beneficial properties of the leaves, which are precisely used for making dishes. Fern leaves have very useful microelements and vitamins necessary for human health and normal functioning. Before eating it, you should familiarize yourself with how to soak salted fern.

To do this, you will need to take salted fern leaves, 2 liters of cold water and onion rings. Fern leaves are taken and soaked in cold water for 10 hours. The water is changed periodically, at intervals of approximately 3 hours. This is done so that all the bitterness is removed from the fern and the fern is tender and tasty. After this, you should taste the fern; it should be completely fresh and soft; if even the slightest bit of bitterness is felt, then it should be soaked further. Here's how to properly prepare fern. To get a tasty and tender fern for gourmet food, you need to know how to grow it and how to care for indoor fern.

Ferns love moist soil and a lot of water, this is due to the fact that they grow in swampy areas, where there is a lot of moisture and not much sun. Long and branched leaves must be frequently sprayed with warm and room temperature water. In summer it is necessary to water frequently, preferably every day. In addition, it will be very good to feed the fern with black and steeply brewed tea. You should also place ferns away from direct sunlight and bright light. It is imperative that there is sufficient humidity for the plant to live. Now you need to find out the recipe for how to cook salted fern.

To do this, you need to take onions, cut into rings, fern, pre-soaked, sunflower oil and salt with spices. Cut off the tough stems from the fern leaves and cut into long strips. Fry the onion with vegetable oil until nice and golden brown, add spice salt and pepper. Next, you need to take the fern, mix it with soy sauce and simmer in a frying pan under the lid for 10 minutes. Add a little garlic afterwards. It will also be useful to know how to fry fern. To do this, onions are fried with vegetable oil and spices in the same way, after which the prepared salted fern is added to the same frying pan. In advance, the fern is boiled a little in water so that the stems and the taste itself are softer and more delicate. You need to fry until the fern becomes crispy and tender in taste.