Pickled Nasturtium Seedpods

It's that time of year, the Nasturtium's are sprawling all over the driveway & garden, in full flower, dropping their seedpods everywhere to self seed profusely.

If you have the time & the patience, you can gather the seedpods ( before they fall off the vine and dry out) and make a 'poor man's caper' substitute. They are delicious and the flavor is much nicer once pickled than the explosion of flavor from the raw seedpods. For the record, the seedpod forms after the flower...

Nasturtium is full of Vitamin C, so much that it was used to prevent scurvy in days gone by. It also contains a natural antibiotic as well as antimicrobial properties.

The mustard oil glycoside in nasturtiums has medicinal actions. It's known for it's decongestant effect, relieving blocked noses, congested lungs, and stuffy sinuses, bringing up phlegm. The glycosides also help the liver to process alcohol and fatty foods.

The leaves have antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, laxative and stimulant properties.

Nasturtium promotes red blood cell formation & is good for the respiratory & urinary systems.

It makes an effective wash for external skin conditions, acting as an antiseptic and anti fungal.

Poor Man's Capers recipe:

~ Collect the ripe green seed pods directly 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, 1 tsp peppercorns,1 clove smashed garlic.

~ Bring this mix to the boil in a pot and then leave to cool down.

~ Once cool, add 2 sprigs fresh dill or any herbs of choice

~ I often add bay leaves fennel fronds, grape leaves, mustard seeds, onion weed etc depending what's pumping in the garden...

~ cover the capers in the jar with the liquid & herbs

I usually leave a month for flavors to mellow & develop before tasting. Keep in the fridge once opened.

You’ll learn all about Nasturtium, find this recipe and more in my Hot Season foraging guide & in my Online Foraging Course.