Nasturtium is an easy to grow flowering ground cover. Both its leaves and flowers make a spicy addition to salads, used as a garnish, added to pesto, omelettes or sandwiches. The seeds pickled taste similar to capers.
The leaves and flowers are very high in vitamin C as well as manganese, iron, flavonoids, and beta carotene. The flowers come in a range of colours including red, orange and yellow and the leaves can be plain or variegated.
Nasturtium leaves are refreshing and spicy - a bit like rocket. They can used cooked or raw, although they tend to be less spicy when cooked.
They work well stuffed such as you would with vine leaves or cabbage leaves. You can also use them as edible patty cases for muffins, mini quiches or pies. The leaves also make delicious chips - cooked in the same way as kale chips. They can also be used raw in place of tacos or bread - such add te filling, fold over and they are done.
Add the flowers to vinegar to make a stunning infusion. The colours and flavours fill the vinegar for using in salads. It makes a beautiful gift too.
Nasturtiums add beauty and nutritious pickings for chickens when they are planted along their pen.
They are so versatile and useful in the garden they are an under-rated but must-have feature. For more great recipe ideas Northey St City Farm has put together a good selection here.
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