Poor man's capers

Pickled nasturtium buds are an inexpensive substitute for pricey capers.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

1 quart nasturtium seed pods
1 quart white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons pickling salt
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon pickling spice
1 clove garlic, smashed
4 to 6 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Preparation:
After the nasturtium blossoms fall off, pick the half-ripened (still green) nasturtium seed pods. Continue picking as long as the seed crop continues.

Combine wine vinegar, pickling salt, onion, lemon, pickling spice, garlic, peppercorns, and celery seed in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Pour cooled mixture over nasturtium seeds and refrigerate for 1 week.

Keep the mixture refrigerated and use the nasturium pickles in sauces, dips, casseroles, soups, stews and as edible decorations.

Yield: 1 quart

Recipe Source: Marion Owen
Reprinted with permission.

http://homecooking.about.com/od/condimentrecipes/r/blcon121.htm