Nasturtim Seed Pickle aka Poor Man's Capers Recipe
Poor Man's Capers aka Nasturtium pods or seeds. Did you know that the brainy looking little green seeds of the Nasturtium plants are not only edible but make great caper substitutes? Well they do! Not quite the same flavor profile but these little treats pack a punch, with oh so much flavor.
I dare you to try one next time you spot a nasturtium plant, the little seeds explode in your mouth with the most amazing, intense flavor sensation that I can't even describe it!!
I usually pickle the capers, which mellows out the intense flavors and preserves them for use later in the year when the nasturtiums die back in winter. I've used many variations of recipes, I'm a freestyle preserver, using whatever I have on hand and adding my own homegrown or foraged flavors. However here is a simple process & recipe to try at home:
Collect the ripe green seed pods off the plant, before they become hard & dry and fall on the ground. Test by tasting, if they are crunchy & juicy they're perfect, if they are dry and hard they are too old. Rinse if needed & pack into sterilised glass jars.
Make a pickling liquid, to 1 cup of nasturtium seeds use: 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 sprigs fresh dill or any herbs of choice, I often add bay leaes fennel fronds, grape leaes, mustard seeds onion weed etc depending what's pumping in the garden, then 1 tsp peppercorns,1 clove smashed garlic. Bring this mix to the boil in a pot and then leave to cool down. Once cool, cover the capers with the liquid & herbs and put in the fridge. I usually leave a month for flavors to mellow & develop before tasting. Keep in the fridge and use as you would any flavorsome foraged pickle!
Scroll my other blog posts to read all about Nasturtium, it's nutritional properties, how to prepare, & history.
I dare you to try one next time you spot a nasturtium plant, the little seeds explode in your mouth with the most amazing, intense flavor sensation that I can't even describe it!!
I usually pickle the capers, which mellows out the intense flavors and preserves them for use later in the year when the nasturtiums die back in winter. I've used many variations of recipes, I'm a freestyle preserver, using whatever I have on hand and adding my own homegrown or foraged flavors. However here is a simple process & recipe to try at home:
Collect the ripe green seed pods off the plant, before they become hard & dry and fall on the ground. Test by tasting, if they are crunchy & juicy they're perfect, if they are dry and hard they are too old. Rinse if needed & pack into sterilised glass jars.
Make a pickling liquid, to 1 cup of nasturtium seeds use: 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 sprigs fresh dill or any herbs of choice, I often add bay leaes fennel fronds, grape leaes, mustard seeds onion weed etc depending what's pumping in the garden, then 1 tsp peppercorns,1 clove smashed garlic. Bring this mix to the boil in a pot and then leave to cool down. Once cool, cover the capers with the liquid & herbs and put in the fridge. I usually leave a month for flavors to mellow & develop before tasting. Keep in the fridge and use as you would any flavorsome foraged pickle!
Scroll my other blog posts to read all about Nasturtium, it's nutritional properties, how to prepare, & history.