LEFT:The mature bracken fern can be mildly poisonous... but you can avoid this hazard by not eating the adult plants... which contain the toxic matter.CENTER:new, leafless shots are delicious and safe to eat? though they should be cooked to break down the enzyme thiaminase, which destroys vitamin B1. TOP RIGHT:Pick those plants whose curled-over shoots have not yet opened up?be sure that the roll on their tips still justifies the name ?fiddlenecks?.BELOW, BOTTOM RIGHT: To cook your foraged bounty, boil and drain the ferns several times until tender? and serve the dish hot with butter or smothered in cream sauce or melted cheese