Fern Sprout Recipe

Did you know that fern sprouts are a traditional culinary accompaniment in the State of Minas Gerais and in regions of Espírito Santo? Some people question whether fern is edible because it is involved in some controversy - if not well prepared, its toxicity levels can compromise human health. However, the fern is popular in the preparation of recipes such as short ribs with fern sprouts and fern sprouts with ground beef and is also very popular in Japanese cuisine (where it is called warabi).

If you are looking for how to make fern sprouts and how to remove the bitterness from fern sprouts, continue here to check out our very simple tips. See how to make this braised fern sprout recipe to accompany your culinary preparations and vary the menu!

Ingredients for making fern sprouts:

 1 bunch of wild fern or wild fern

 3 chopped garlic cloves

 2 tablespoons of oil or olive oil

 ½ teaspoon of pepperoni pepper

 3 tablespoons of baking soda

 Black pepper

 salt

How to make Fern Sprout:

First, it is important to know how to choose fern shoots. Only use the young shoots of the wild fern or bush fern, that is, the young leaves that still have a curved tip, as in the photo.

Tip: In some regions of Brazil you can find fern shoots for sale in municipal markets. The species of fern indicated for consumption is the fern Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.

To eliminate the fern's bitterness and toxicity, place the sprouts in a pan of water until covered and add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Bring to a boil and drain, discarding the water. Rinse the sprouts and repeat the procedure twice more with filtered water and 1 tablespoon of baking soda each time.

Heat a skillet with the oil, chopped or crushed garlic cloves and pepperoni. When the garlic starts to brown, place the fern sprouts and saute together for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The point of fern shoots is when they are soft but still slightly hard - al dente. Try this recipe, tell us what you think in the comments and upload a photo of your finished fern shoots. Enjoy your food!

The fern broccoes go well as an accompaniment to these meat recipes:

Fried pork ribs in pressure cooker

Pork ribs on pressure

Beef stew with green beans

If you liked the Fern Sprout recipe, we suggest you enter our Other Vegetable Recipes category. You can also visit a list of the best Brazilian recipes. You may be interested to read about the mango lassi recipe blogpost/ basil mayonnaise recipe/ polenta gnocchi recipe/ golden honey recipe/ Moroccan lentil salad recipe.