Cheaper Capers Already in Your Garden
Capers are an exclamation mark on a dish. The tiny buds of pickled brightness function as a kind of tonic. All tomato sauces and any risotto benefit from them, kick can be used in most pan sauces, and without them, in my opinion, no bagels and salmon are allowed on the streets.
The bummer is that they are not cheap. Especially not at the speed with which I pass them. That’s why I wait all year for the peak of nasturtium blooms so I can harvest them and make nasturtium capers .
What are nasturtiums?
To quote my editor: “Nasta-what?” Possibly one of the most hardy perennials in the world, nasturtiums shimmer in red and gold and form dense mounds of bright green water lily leaves with water lily flowers. a bit like columbine. They also come in hanging and climbing varieties. All flowers and leaves are edible, so you’ve probably seen them sold in stores or farmers’ markets, or even eaten them. They have a spicy, peppery taste. People often put cheese on top of nasturtium leaves.
Each nasturtium produces three seeds relatively quickly and the plant will spontaneously reseed, so most people plant nasturtiums only once and wait every summer for them to sprout everywhere. As a side benefit, it is considered a “trap plant” because it attracts aphids that do not harm nasturtiums; the plant acts as a resort for aphids, keeping them away from your other plants. If there is a garden nearby, nasturtiums grow in it.
How to choose nasturtium for salting
Often I see people suggest picking tender nasturtium seeds before they turn pale and stiff. And yes, if you get to them early enough, they are real treats that open in your mouth with a slight crunch. But a few years ago, I noticed that nasturtium buds actually have a texture remarkably similar to real capers. Now I exclusively now collect those, not seeds.
Get the equipment you need to make nasturtium capers:
For each plant, you really need to sit down next to it and start working from the ends of the vines back to the root, picking off the buds and placing them in a jar next to you. Obviously look for aphids or other pests, but for the most part the buds still closed should be fine. You want to collect as much as possible, and it is best to collect at the beginning or end of the day.
How to pickle nasturtium
These kidneys are intended for the so-called “hot pack”. Heat the pickling solution, fill warm jars with inflorescences, then fill them with a solution. Cover and process as you would any brine.
Ingredients:
- ΒΌ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 glass of water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Half liter jar with lid
- 2 cups nasturtium seeds or buds
Ideally, you should do this right after the end of the dishwasher cycle so that the jars that pass through are clean and still hot. Rinse seeds and buds well and set aside. Boil all the vinegar, water and salt in a small saucepan.
Divide the seeds and buds between two jars and fill them with hot brine, leaving an inch of space above each jar. Cover the jars with new lids and braid and place in a water bath.
This means filling a saucepan large enough to place the jars next to each other, line the bottom with a towel, and fill the saucepan with warm water. Now place two jars in a pot, making sure there is enough water to cover the jars by an inch, and bring the pot to a boil with the lid on and let the pot simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat, leave the pot where it is, and let the water return to room temperature. Once the jars are taken out, as long as the lids are sealed, they can be safely placed on the shelf and not in the refrigerator until you open them. Once opened, they should be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Capers are ready to eat a few weeks after you process them, and I think you’ll find a hardy substitute for “real” capers in them, and you can never underestimate the usefulness of being able to tell your guests that you’ve grown your own capers.