Poor Man's Pickled Capers

Pickled nasturtium seeds are a bit unusual, but they offer a nice little pop of flavor and are a good substitute for capers.

4.72 from 7 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Servings: tablespoons

Author: Kris Bordessa

Wash nasturtium seeds thoroughly, remove any remaining stems, and break the seed pods apart. Place seeds in a wide mouth quarter-pint jar.
1/2 cup freshly harvested young green nasturtium seed pods
Dissolve salt in water to make brine; pour brine over nasturtium seeds to cover. Refrigerate remaining brine. Place a glass weight on top of seeds to prevent floating and to keep seeds submerged.
1 cup distilled water, 2 teaspoons sea salt
Use the Fermentools airlock system---it fits right onto any wide mouth jar---to prevent accidental overflows and to keep out the fruit flies. (I'm loving how easy fermenting is with this system!) After about three days, open the jar and you will likely smell a bit of a sulphur odor.
Drain seeds, cover with reserved brine, and put the airlock back in place. Allow to sit at room temperature for another three days or so, then give them the old taste test.

While most ferments only require a single round of fermentation, I found that a second ferment was necessary for these. After several days, they begin to emit a sulfuric odor. Simply drain the brine, cover with fresh brine, and allow them to ferment for several more days.
Water: Municipal tap water contains chlorine, which can inhibit fermentation. Use spring or distilled water instead.
Salt: Salt with iodine or anti-caking agents can inhibit fermentation.
No nasturtiums handy? Check out this recipe for dandelion capers.