Talking About Nasturtiums

By wildflowers
April 12, 2010

I have a personal fondness for this old-fashioned flower. Its delicate fragrance takes me back to when I was a young girl spending many hours in the garden. The taste of the sweet nectar from the spur of the nasturtium, the skipper butterflies fluttering around, and the ladybugs . . . I'm transported back in time.

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Mar 5, 2014 1:01 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ginger
Fountain, Florida (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Plays in the sandbox Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: Gulf Coast Tip Photographer The WITWIT Badge
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Native Plants and Wildflowers Birds Plumerias Hummingbirder Dog Lover
I really like to cook with capers...how do you pickle the nasturtium seeds ??
Each cloud has a silver lineing if only you look for it.
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Mar 5, 2014 2:38 PM CST
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
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Hi Ginger! I like to cook with capers too. Here in Texas the temps usually get too hot for me to get a good seed harvest from my nasturtiums so I've never had a chance to pickle my own. I think you have to pick the seeds while they are still green or as soon as they appear. If you have enough to fill a jar of any size, you can make a brine with water, vinegar, salt and maybe a little sugar. I'll see if I can find a recipe. Thumbs up

BRB
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Mar 5, 2014 2:48 PM CST
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
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Here's one that looks good, Ginger!! Hurray! Now I want a chance to try it myself!
http://www.gardenbetty.com/201...

There are other good pickling recipes on that site, I like this one with radish pods too! http://www.gardenbetty.com/201...
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Mar 6, 2014 12:24 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ginger
Fountain, Florida (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Plays in the sandbox Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: Gulf Coast Tip Photographer The WITWIT Badge
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Native Plants and Wildflowers Birds Plumerias Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Cool Thank You! Christine Hurray! When next I visit a friend with faster internet (and ink) I'll ask her to print it out for me. Took forever to load for me on dial-up, but it sure sounds easy enough to do.
Each cloud has a silver lineing if only you look for it.
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Mar 6, 2014 6:33 PM CST
Name: Christine
North East Texas (Zone 7b)
Shine Your Light!
Heirlooms Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Hummingbirder Bee Lover Herbs
Butterflies Dragonflies Birds Cat Lover Dog Lover Garden Photography
Hey Ginger. Sorry I wasn't thinking about dial up. Here's the recipe without all the pictures if that helps:

This recipe makes a half-pint at a time. If you were lucky enough to harvest more than a handful, simply double, triple or quadruple the following measurements as needed.

Pickled Nasturtium Pods
Makes 1/2 pint

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

Harvest young, light green, half-ripened seed pods while they’re still on the vines. Young pods are crisp and juicy, but tend to lose their zip and flavor as they mature (eventually, they dry out into wrinkled brown seeds and drop to the ground).

Separate the pods into individual seeds, and give them a quick rinse to remove any dirt.

The raw seeds are full of potent mustard oils that make them bitterly strong in flavor; a little too strong for my liking, so I start by mellowing them out in a simple salty brine.

In a quart jar, dissolve the salt in water.

Strain the seeds and rinse again to remove excess salt.

Add the nasturtium seeds, then place a zip-top bag over the rim and down into the jar to keep the seeds submerged. Let the brine sit for a couple of days at room temperature. The seeds will turn a dull green during this stage.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the vinegar and sugar to a low boil for 1 minute and stir to dissolve.

Divide your seeds into half-pint jars, then pour the hot vinegar over the seeds, covering them completely.

Add a bay leaf to each jar.

Let the jars cool to room temperature before sealing with lids. At this point, you can either keep the jars at room temp (no need to fire up the boiling water bath), or store them in the fridge.

The pickled pods will keep indefinitely in the vinegar; I still have a jar left from a big batch I made almost two years ago, sitting in my pantry unspoiled. (Just make sure you use a clean utensil each time you scoop out seeds!)

Nasturtium capers have a nose-tingling bite that pairs well with spicy dishes, such as Asian stir-fries or sushi rolls. To use them, spoon out a few seeds and chop them up finely. You can add them to any dish where you’d typically use traditional capers — pastas, sauces, salads, dressings. A little goes a long way!
May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day --Native American Proverb

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Mar 8, 2014 10:21 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ginger
Fountain, Florida (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Plays in the sandbox Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: Gulf Coast Tip Photographer The WITWIT Badge
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Native Plants and Wildflowers Birds Plumerias Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Thank You! Thank You!
Each cloud has a silver lineing if only you look for it.
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