Nasturtium can be preserved in a variety of ways, not just drying, pickling, and freezing. You can also process the flowers and leaves of this versatile plant into a very tasty and decorative herb vinegar or flower oil.
Dry nasturtium
You can dry the leaves and flowers of the nasturtium to use them for seasoning or to prepare a tea. Drink two to three cups of this tea daily to prevent catching a cold. You can also use it to support the treatment of cystitis or infections of the upper respiratory tract.
The dried seeds are not suitable for tea, but they are good for flavoring food. You can very well crush the seeds in a mortar or grind them in a spice grinder. However, make sure that the seeds are really well dried so that they don't start to get moldy. They're also easier to grind up.
Put in the nasturtium
The unopened buds or the unripe seeds of the nasturtium are suitable for pickling in vinegar. Boil both in a broth of vinegar, water and salt and fill the hot mixture into twist-off glasses. Stored in a cool and dark place, these “false capers” can be kept for a few months.
You can pickle the blossoms of the nasturtium in a mild fruit vinegar. Pour both into a wide-necked bottle. The vinegar must completely cover the blossoms, otherwise they could start to get moldy. Leave the vinegar to mature in a dark place for about four weeks, shaking the bottle once a day. After four weeks, strain the vinegar.
You produce a flower oil with the help of a high-quality vegetable oil. It is best to use a tasteless, cold-pressed oil, such as sunflower or rapeseed oil. In contrast to vinegar, however, the oil must be steeped in a warm and bright place.
The most important processing tips:
- Pickle flowers in vinegar or oil
- Pickle buds in vinegar
- Dry seeds or pickle in vinegar
- Dry or freeze leaves
- frozen flowers as decorative ice cubes
tips and tricks
Bottled in decorative jars and bottles, “False Capers”, flower oil, herbal vinegar and the like make excellent gifts or souvenirs for an invitation.