As I mentioned in our nasturtium pesto post a couple of weeks ago, we’ve been pickling nasturtium “capers”. Based on a recipe from Pam Corbin’s Preserves, these are simple to process and, whilst they’re not really that similar to true capers, they do add a peppery crunch and tang to salads and sandwiches.
- 15g salt
- 100g nasturtium seed pods
- peppercorns (optional)
- bay leaves (optional)
- 200ml white wine vinegar
1. Begin by picking nasturtium pods – below is 100 grams worth from our field of green..
2. Dissolve the salt in 300ml of warm water to make a light brine. Allow to cool, then soak the cleaned seed pods in the brine for 24 hours.
3. Drain the pods and dry them well. Pack them into small sterilised jars with a few peppercorns and a bayleaf (the original recipe suggested you could also use dill or tarragon sprigs, as preferred). Leave a space for 1cm (about a pinky finger’s width) of vinegar at the top.
4. Fill the jars with vinegar and seal with acid-proof lids. Store in a cool, dark place and allow to mature for a few weeks before using – Pam’s book advises that these should keep for up to a year.
One thing to note – the pods quickly lose their green colour in the vinegar. The photo at the top shows the freshly jarred “capers” on the left, and two-day old ones on the right.
Pam suggests mixing these with mayonnaise, onion and lemon juice to make a nasturtium tartare sauce. We’ve just been eating them in salads!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
How lovely! I guess your nasturtiums just go on and on, as long as you keep taking the seeds off, they will keep on flowering – unless you get a frost, do you get frost? That’s what will get ours in the end, they’re rampaging around just like yours at the moment.
I was looking at this only the other day and thinking I should try it. Does the whole family like them?
Jo, they certainly do seem to go on and on, and since we’re frost-free (hard on apples and garlic, great for lettuce!), the nasturtiums provide unending green for our kitchen and the chooks. Can’t say the whole family like the “capers”, but Pete and I certainly do. And they’re ludicrously easy to make! :)
Zing!
Don’t they look dinky and tasty.
Are they too small to pop on a cocktail stick for a martini, shaken not stirred? :)
Hahaha..probably Grilly, they’re less than 1 cm across, so nowhere near olive size.. :)
This is really interesting, Celia. I have heard of this being done, and not being a fan of capers (*gasp*), I think I would be willing to give the nasturtiam pods a go. And no heating of the vinegar? I just pulled out a packet of nasturtium seeds in preparation for spring planting! (We get some nasty frosts!) :)
Chris, no heating of the vinegar, which surprised me as well! I get so excited when we find something to do with stuff we find in the garden – we’ve just made lilly pilly jelly as well, from all the fruit from our big old tree that used to just fall to the ground and get eaten by the birds… :)
Lilli pilly jelly?Pray tell.
PS. thanks for the linky up top! :)
Oh wow, I was talking to someone about nasturtium as an alternative to capers the other day. I had wondered how to do it. Thank you. For some reason I had always thought it was the flower buds that were used.
Owwhhhh, I’ve tasted these & they are a lovely peppery twist to capers.
Goodness me I learn something new every day! I had no idea there were such things as nasturtium pods until a few minutes ago! :o
Oooh, yummy! Don’t worry if they change colour, capers are not known for their pretty greeness anyway. The taste is what matters.
Thank you all! These are indeed very yummy.. :)
Like Liz, I always thought it was the flower buds that were “capered”. Thanks for making and sharing these.
Now all I have to do is get my hands on a huge amount of nasturtiums.
I just love nasturtiums – they just give and give, don’t they!
Leaves, flowers and pods – what a brilliant plant!
Heidi, if you lived closer, you could have as much of mine as you liked.. :)
Amanda, that’s so true!
Your resourcefulness (is that a word?!) astounds me! Can you do something with the honey bit of the nasturtium?!
I’m amazed that nasturtiums are so edible having only used the flowers in salads occasionally before. I’m intending to get around to making the the nasturtium pesto before it gets hot here (I can’t believe I’m saying that but I’m actually sitting here typing at 10pm with the window open!). Our nasturtiums can’t stand the heat of summer so we only have them in winter and spring on the plains in Adelaide.
Making me long even harder for my Nastirtiums! Thanks
Anna, the honey bit? Is there nectar or something I’ve missed? :)
Sarah, your bed of nasturtiums looked amazing…
Oz, thank you! :)
I will look up the anatomy of a nasturtium for the correct term but the bit that you can suck on that tastes like honey. Ask a sibling of mine for a demonstration!
Gosh I didn’t realise this was such a versatile plant. I too have only occasionally used the flowers. Think I had better plant some in our garden. These ‘capers’ look very interesting…..and such a clever idea!
I have learned a new word today! Nasturtiums – had no idea what they were until I saw your post. Thanks for sharing!
Ahh Celia – these are great. I’ve never tried them in vinegar, but we pickle them in brine with a bit of added whey as you would for sauerkraut. At least we used to – haven’t grown nasturtiums since we’ve had our new plot.
SG, have just read that the nasturtium pods are also really good for the chickens!!
Wink, thank you! Hope you spot some soon – they’re a gorgeous photographic subject…
Choc, thanks for that – I never thought of making them like that!
Ok now I have learned something entirely new. You are my favorite food forager and inventor.
Hahaha…Roz, given your experience in food, I’m surprised there’s anything entirely new to you!