how to make poor mans capers from nasturtium seeds

[sutton girl]

Please has anyone got a recipes for poor mans capers  they say you can pickle the seed to make capers thank you

[sutton girl]

[isbister]

Yes I've heard that and would also like instructions

[Biscombe]

Just asked the OH, he made some a few years ago! (still got em, forget to use them!) He soaked them in a strong salt soulution, drained then pack in malt vinegar

[tim]

About as near to capers as dandelion roots are to coffee??

[pg]

I agree with Tim I'm afraid.

A recipe in my Mrs Beeton inspired me to try pickling excess nasturtium seeds. Soaking for a couple of days in brine and then in vinegar still left them very crunchy, but nutty tasting. Not unlike pickled walnuts. Nothing like biting through the soft outer into the sweet inner of an Italian pickled caper seed.

I understand caper bushes grow huge spines and are wild in Med coastal areas - anyone got any seed that isn't pickled? Or tried growing at home?

[real food]

An recipe from Australia, but I have to confess that I have not tried it.

Nasturtium Caper ( seedpods ) Pickles. Put 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 tbs of salt, 1 tbs of sugar, 1 bay leaf, 4 black peppercorns, 4 cloves, grated horseradish to taste, into a stainless steel pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the capers and simmer for 2 minutes. Fill the hot jar with the capers and fill to overflowing as before.

Taken from my website, see below, under Recipes.

[Amazin]

This recipe is taken from that wonderful book, Food From Your Garden - I've just made a couple of jars' worth.

Ripe nasturtium seeds
Coarse salt
Spiced vinegar

Pick seeds on a dry day. Wash and steep in a brine solution of 2oz salt to 1pt water (50g to 600ml).

Drain and pack into small jars to within an inch (25mm) of the top. Cover with cold spiced vinegar and seal. Ready for use after about a month.