Duncan’s pickled nasturtium seeds recipe (UK capers)
Comments(24)
Photo: Pickled Nasturtium seeds
Have you ever tasted nasturtium seeds? They’re nutty and peppery. I knew that they could be pickled to make an English version of the continental caper but I’ve never found a recipe when the seeds are green and perfect for pickling.
So I was delighted when Duncan, a reader and contributor to the Cottage Smallholder site, sent me his recipe. He had already road tested it.
“I sampled my first batch yesterday and wow they are good.
I have got the next batch in brine as I type. As it was a success and it is a good free alternative to that classic Italian ingredient I thought I would send it through to you…”
I shot down to the kitchen garden where trailing nasturtiums are romping across the borders. I found a handful of seeds and over the next week collected a small bowl of them. If you do this check the seeds carefully before brining and reject any brown ones.
My small bowl of nasturtium seeds didn’t fill a pound jar so I searched in the barn for dinky jars that seemed really too small to keep. Thank goodness I’m a hoarder
Duncan’s pickled nasturtium seeds recipe
- Pick the Nasturtium seeds when still green. Place in a wet brine made of 50g
salt and 450ml /1 pint cold water. Leave for 24 hrs. - Drain the seeds and rinse, then pack into warmed (sterilised) jars and cover with boiling *spiced vinegar and seal with plastic lined metal lids. Don’t use cellophane jam tops as the vinegar will evaporate.
- Leave for 3 weeks to mature.
*For the spiced vinegar – I adapted Oded Schwartz’s recipe for mild spiced European vinegar. used 500ml of white wine vinegar plus 1 tsp of black peppercorns, a small piece of blade mace, 1 tsp of celery seeds, 1 clove of garlic crushed, 1 small dried red chilli pepper (crumbled), I bay leaf, I tsp of juniper berries, 1 tsp of salt. Brought to the boil and simmered gently for 10 minutes and then strained through muslin.
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FD
I have never tried these – have read about using them, so supposedly will be good in home made tar tare sauce. Have got me thinking here – I normally have a load of nasturtiums growing in the garden, but this year didn’t put many in. I think next year that will be remedied. By the way love your site its one of my favourites.
pattypan
Oooo yes, have a packet of seeds here to sow soon (soaking them in water first). Flowers beautiful and edible, leaves edible, and will attempt to leave the flowers be so I can pickle the seed pods come Autumn.
So happy you’ve found them – they have a wonderful pepperyness, flower, leaf and pickled seed pod.
Daft Zebby if clawing up and down my back, seeking attention – while it picks up masses of cat fur, thank goodness for thick polar fleece!!!
love from me, clawing demand for huggles from Zeb,
Michelle xxx
Hi Pattypan
I find that my nasturtiums self seed most years. They start to appear quite a while after I expect them to so usually I have planted new seed as insurance.
Great that you are enjoying the site.
Hi Michelle
I’ve loved nasturtiums ever since I spotted the guinea pigs using the leaves as umbrellas in Beatrix Potter.
Your Zebbycat has real star quality.
oh dandy! I was just thinking today that I have so many nasturtium seeds I really should pickle them, but ugh! to find a recipe…and here one is!!! many thanks to Duncan!
Hi Paula
Perfect synchronicity!
I am so glad that the recipe is proving a hit and i look forward to hearing feed back on how well they turn out. I am currently working on my last batch of the season which i am going to do with Balsamic Vinigar, i will let you know the verdict.
It is also very exciting to have a recipe on a website – i feel like a celebrity chef! OK not quite.
Hi Duncan
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Can’t wait to see what they taste
Wish I’d found this post before I pulled out all my caterpillar chewed nasturtiums – no I’m not going to rummage through the compost heap – it’ll have to wait till next year. Have kept some seed though which is earmarked for a playgroup planting activity next year. Have had some beautifully diverse flowers this year from saved seed – a friend did say that you can propogate them by some sort of vegetative method – cuttings maybe. Has anyone tried?
Hello Carol
What a shame about the seeds.
I haven’t heard about ‘vegetatively’ propogating them. They self seed all over our kitchen garden.
I’m told they’re a useful addition in the vegetable mix for piccalilli.
Jan, That sounds like a good idea, i had also thought about using them in chutneys – that is if i do not use them all up on pizzas!
Hi Jan
I’m picking more seeds in earnest. Will try a few in my piccalilli. Thanks.
Hi Duncan
Using them on pizzas is a brillikant idea.
Hi Fn
Like you i am still picking and pickling, as long as the plants keep producing i will keep pickling.
They have so many uses, i even dice them very finely and add them to Thousand island dressing for added bite.
Hi Duncan
We ate the seeds raw in a green salad and fought over the last one.
Am now harvesting the seeds daily.
I will have to try that. I had not thought about using them straight from the plant, i have been thinking about using the pickled ones and adding them to the pan as i fry or grill lamb chops.
Great to see all the ideas people are coming up with.
Great sounding recipe. Had a bumper crop this year. Anyone ideas on how to pickle the leaves or is that just crazy as my wife tells me?
I made these for the first time last year having tried them at a friend’s. I’ve lost the recipe, but it was quite similar to this one, though used malt vinegar.
We particularly like the pickled seeds added to a tomato sauce with black olives served over pasta. And served with a homegrown green salad with fresh nasturtium leaves and flowers for added pepperiness.
Hi Fiona & Danny, its been a while. I hope Fi is feeling better & that Danny is well.
I found my nastursium covered in seeds today so I have picked some for pickling using the method you have written about.
Re-reading the comments I noticed you mentioning using them in piccalily & also using them raw in salads.
How were they in the piccalily? AND I cannot believe they are good to eat straight from the plant in salads.. so tell me again.
please.
Hi Belinda
Yes you can eat them raw – when they are green. They are hot and spicy – great in a salad.
I didn’t get round to using them in piccalily – but will do this year.
The pickled nasturtium seeds are delicious – like hot capers.
BTW all parts of the nasturtium plant are edible – leaves, flowers and seeds.
Dan – I have scores of nasturtiums growing wild in my backyard every year. They’re obviously happy there, especially in the wet winter, because the leaves get gigantic…about a foot across! I couldn’t resist trying to stuff them. I parboiled the leaves and treated them like cabbabe leaves, and stuffed them with a spicy ground beef, Italian hot sausage and rice mixture. I baked them in a light, fresh, lemon-y tomato sauce. Here’s the results: the ribs in the large leaves were very, very stringy and the leaves were tough. It made it hard to enjoy eating them. Next time, I will use smaller, younger leaves and try brining them first, like grape leaves. Flavor? Hmmm, hard to explain. They definitely have a nuance. Nothing great. But, I suspect they need a more bland or neutral filling that will not overpower them. Perhaps seasoned rice, or herbed goat or cream cheese, and marinated in an acid and broth-based sauce rather than cooking them in it. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Have got to middleage without knowing about all things nasturcium, so happy to find that life still has surprises like this. Have been enjoying flowers in salads and am doing Duncan’s pickling recipe today
Hi Ally
Thanks for the nudge. Must do my pickled nasturcium pickles now!
Dear Duncan,
Delighted to find your recipe, brilliant, just in time.
robin
glad you like it. let me know what you think, they are fantastic on home made pizza
regards
duncan