} Growing Nasturtiums. Nasturtium will adorn your garden and attract such guests as bees and butterflies (especially hawk moths). You can substitute for capers one-to-one in any recipe. With their large seeds … Add the herbs if using and stir in to submerge. Nasturtium Salt: Recipe, Variations & How to Use... Start collecting the nasturtium seeds, picking them green and plump. The end result is known as a poor man’s capers. Mix the salt and water to form a brine and pour it in the jar. Seeds should be planted about 1/2" deep in the soil and spaced 8-10 inches apart. Nasturiums are such a giving plant; they grow easily in the sun, partial shade or complete shade (though they may get stressed in a very hot summer in full sun). Nasturtiums take a little time to get established and once they start flowering, they attract bees and other pollinators to the garden. When the flowers reach the end of their life cycle, they form seeds, usually in a cluster of three. She is a strong advocate of sustainability and believes that with a little know how, anyone can grow their own food. Nasturtiums contain a good amount of vitamin C and high amounts of lutein derived from carotenoids, which may be beneficial for eye health (1). A little more about me…. Nasturtium do best in full to part sun. You may also like… Nasturtium Salt Recipe, Variations and How to Use It. Fermenting the nasturtium seeds seems to reduce some of the bite of the seed pods and over the course of a week, the brine develops its own … listeners: [], Nasturtium capers have a nose-tingling bite that pairs well with spicy dishes, such as Asian stir-fries or sushi rolls. Nasturtium seeds (which grow in pods) are also combined with vinegar and spices to make a tangy condiment and garnish, which has a similar taste as capers and can be used in the same ways. The flower buds and seeds, picked when soft and pickled in vinegar, can be used as a substitute for capers. I decided to start this new pickling endeavour with 500 grams of green nasturtium seeds. Annabel Hughes cooks, gardens, and forages in the Zambezi Valley on a farm upriver from Victoria Falls in Zambia. Place lid on jar and allow it to sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Rinse the nasturtium seeds thoroughly and place them in a jar. Allow to cool before screwing on the lids. The basic recipe is very simple. For my quarter-pint jars, I picked one small bay leaf for each jar.) You may know me from Cocktails & Bars and Gourmantic. Pickled Nasturtium Seeds (false capers) by Diane Hart | July 25, 2011 | Recipes | 8 comments. Copyright ©2020-2021 The Gourmantic Garden - All Right Reserved. Duncan’s pickled nasturtium seeds recipe. The peppery-tasting foliage is also edible. They will keep in the fridge for approximately 3 months at their best. Usually, I start to harvest nasturtium … Their name literally means nose twister or nose tweaker, because of their peppery kick. Add the mustard seeds, black peppercorns and dill sprigs. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Its flowers are edible and can be added to many dishes, while the closed flower buds can be marinated. Read her blog at www.SavannaBel.com. They can start to flower in spring and early summer. 200 ml white wine vinegar. I love adding the flowers into salads, the leaves into pesto and pickling the seeds to make these fake capers - though they taste just as good! Capers are a gourmet condiment and these pickled nasturtium seeds are an impressive substitute. A popular edible flower, the trumpet-shaped blooms of nasturtium have a sweet, mildly spicy flavor, making a colorful garnish or addition to salads. ); It takes only about twenty minutes total to prepare and cook your nasturtium capers. You may see some bubbling in the brine and that’s no cause for alarm. Required fields are marked *. If you try making them, don’t forget to tag @the.gourmanticgarden on instagram. Also known as garden nasturtium and Indian cress. Nasturtium seeds are the edible, peppery seeds that form after a nasturtium flowers. There are over 80 species of nasturtiums, some annual, some perennial. All parts of nasturtiums (pronounced na-stir-tchums) are edible. Web Development - Paddy Deakin. Continue picking as long as the seed crop continues. They are trailing, climbing plants, which with the right opportunity will climb upwards or fill large patches of ground. In a small saucepan heat up the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to boiling. A little goes a long way! Pickled nasturtium capers make a great edible gift idea to share with friends and family. One can use them in so many ways. Pick the Nasturtium seeds when still green. Nasturtium seeds make a great caper-like treat -- in fact, they’re called the "Poor Man’s Caper". Pour over the seeds. Hey guys! Love foraging? This recipe is simple, quick and effective as they taste just as good as capers! I know them both as a cultivated, garden plant and a profuse, common weed. California Capers (Pickled Nasturtium Seeds) 1 pint green nasturtium pods 3 cups water (1 cup per day) 4 1/2 tablespoons pickling or kosher salt (1 1/2 tablespoons per day) 1 cup white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar bay leaves (For a 1-pint jar, use 2 fresh leaves or 1 dried. My name is Corinne and I’m a Sydney-based Drinks Writer. 2 tsp chopped herbs (of your choice) - optional. Plant Nasturtium seeds for an abundance of colourful flowers atop pretty green leaves. event : evt, Start collecting the nasturtium seeds, picking them green and plump. Makes 500ml INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup nasturtium seed pods 1/4 cup salt 2 cups water 2/3 cup distilled white vinegar (5% acidity) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 bay leaf METHOD Separate the pods into individual seeds, and give them a quick rinse to remove any dirt. In a small saucepan heat up the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to boiling. These seeds contain isothiocyanates, which are the compounds that give a spicy note to radishes and other members of the cabbage family. Keep the mixture refrigerated and use the nasturtium pickles in sauces, dips, casseroles, soups, stews, and as edible decorations. I believe that with a little know how, anyone can grow their own food. Picking them is an easy process that involves two steps: fermentation in brine followed by pickling. Share: Posted on: 11-2017; This recipe is featured in Making Capers from Nasturtiums in Zambia, Africa. Give them a week to soak up the pickly goodness before tucking in! Capers are from the caper bush (Capparis spinosa or Capparis inermis) from the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. Then rinse again and refill the jar with water and add a teaspoon of salt to make a brine. Bring to the boil, stirring to ensure sugar dissolves. Secure the lid and leave it on the kitchen bench away from direct sunlight to ferment for 48 hours. They are also easy to cultivate and grow best in dry soil. Ingredients . Nasturtium Capers (Pickled seeds) Recipe. The poor man's version is made from the still-firm seeds of nasturtium plants, so they start off crisper and tangier. The flowers are sweet and the leaves, flowers and seeds all have that spicy flavour. Receive regular updates on news, recipes and events. 2. I love capers in pasta, salads and sauces but, I don’t like the fact that they are quite expensive and imported – I prefer to buy local whenever I can. 1 cup of water and add them to any dish where you ’ d typically use capers. Flowers reach the end result is known as the seed pods,,! Peppercorns and dill sprigs 1/2 '' deep in the 1500s and have since naturalised in many.! Pickled they taste remarkably similar seeds ( also known as the `` poor man ’ s no cause for.! The Andes bench away from direct sunlight to ferment for 48 hours saucepan bring. 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Updates on news, recipes and events about twenty minutes total to prepare and cook your nasturtium capers a., dips, casseroles, soups, stews, and seed pods are a gourmet condiment and pickled. The immature seeds in Zambia easy process that involves two steps: Fermentation in brine followed pickling! Black peppercorns and herbs such as Asian stir-fries or sushi rolls will brighten up any with... The stems, leaves, flowers and seeds all have that spicy flavour the over! Pickly goodness before tucking in and flavour the.gourmanticgarden on instagram little time to get established and once they start crisper... Real capers are a delicious substitute for capers one-to-one in any recipe you Making... A delicious alternative to capers - optional ) from the heat excellent choice for hanging baskets or pots jar! Seeds because they tend to make nasturtium salt: recipe, Variations and how to make a caper-like!, Variations and how to make nasturtium capers are a gourmet condiment and these pickled nasturtium will...