Nasturtium Recipes

Nasturtiums are flowers whose blooms, leaves and seeds are often used to flavor a variety of dishes. There are a number of nasturtium recipes available in various cookbooks and at online recipe sites that will allow you to sample the peppery flavor of the plant. The leaves and blooms are often added to salads and pasta dishes as well as used to flavor fish and other meats and the seeds can be pickled and used as capers. Since capers are relatively expensive, this is an excellent alternative that gives you the same flavor without the cost.

Pickled Nasturtium Seeds

One of the most popular nasturtium recipes today is the recipe for pickling nasturtium seeds. This is an easy recipe and takes very little time and effort. You should pick the green pods from the plant after the blossoms have wilted and formed the seed pods. Then simply combine one quart of white wine vinegar, two teaspoons of pickling salt, a thinly sliced medium onion, ½ teaspoon of allspice, mace and celery seed and three peppercorns. The solution should be kept in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator. You can drop your seed pods into the solution as they become ready and keep them refrigerated until you need them. This is an excellent substitute for more expensive capers and is a very easy recipe to make.

Using Nasturtium Recipes

There are a variety of other nasturtium recipes available that cover everything from salads to soups and meats. Nasturtium potato soup for instance is a very commonly found recipe and involves adding 25 to 30 leaves to your regular potato soup recipe for a spicier flavor. Nasturtium butter is also commonly used to flavor fishes and other meats as well as a wonderfully spicy spread for breads and crackers. Nasturtium butter includes the blossoms of nasturtium flowers, juice and rind from a medium sized lemon and one pound of unsalted butter. You simply blend the ingredients together and add any other spices that you wish such as garlic or minced onion. This is an excellent recipe that has a variety of uses.

Finding Nasturtium Recipes

If you want to learn more about the versatility of the nasturtium plant or find more nasturtium recipes you can head to the internet. There are many gardening websites that offer wonderful recipes that use the seeds, blooms and leaves of the plant for flavoring. Many of the larger recipe sites also have a few selections that call for nasturtium blooms or leaves. If you are planning to grow your own nasturtium for flavor then finding a few good recipes is an excellent idea. This will give you an avenue for all of your blooms and leaves and ensure that you get the most out of your nasturtium garden. The peppery flavor of the plant can add spice to just about any dish that you wish to add it to including various omelets and other dishes. Simply use your imagination or create your own wonderful nasturtium recipes. The possibilities are endless as to what you can do with this flavorful and versatile plant.