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Nasturtiums

The nasturtiums make a summer garden for me, with their hot and fiery colour scheme and their spicy peppery tasting leaves. I couldn't imagine my garden without them and at the moment they really are looking their best. Nasturtiums are wonderful because once the have established, they self seed and come back year after year. They produce masses of brightly coloured flowers that can be picked daily throughout the summer and autumn, right up until the are killed off by the winter frosts. Quite often I still have flowers right into December, especially if a shoot has crept inside my greenhouse (small plastic frame), as they are rather good climbers.




In addition to the stunning flowers and the deliciously peppery shield shaped leaves that can be eaten in salads, there are the seeds. They are like little bites of fire and completely delicious, so in the spirit of Ridgeway Cottage and seeing as I was given some cute little baby food jars, I am making some pickled nasturtium seeds.



Recipe for Pickled Nasturtiums Seeds

  • Pick the seeds whilst they are still green ( the more seeds and leaves you pick, the more flowers you get) and soak in brine (50g salt dissolved in 1 pint of cold water) for 24 hours
  • Drain and rinse and then put into sterilised jars. Pour over boiling pickling spiced vinegar.
  • Seal with lids and leave for 3 weeks. Ready just in time for the colder evenings

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