Nasturtium capers

Nasturtiums capers make a great addition to salads, pestos, salsas and pizza, as well as a side for fish, like seabass. In fact anywhere you would use 'normal' capers.

Ingredients:

• 200g nasturtium seeds

• 40g salt

• 200ml water

• 200ml vinegar

• 1 tsp peppercorns

• 2 bay leaves

• Sprig of savory

Method:

Mix together the salt and water. Add the seeds and leave to soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the seeds and pack into a warm, sterilised jar.

Gently heat the vinegar with the herbs for a few minutes, until not quite boiling.

Pour the vinegar and herbs over the seeds in the jar and close the lid.

Leave to pickle for a minimum of 2 weeks before using.

Pickled Ox Tongue

Ingredients:

• 1 ox tongue

• 2 tsp peppercorn

• 3 tsp salt

• 2 carrots

• 2 turnips

• 2 sticks of celery

• 1 Onion

• 1 Leek

• Small bunch of wild Garlic

• 2 cups vinegar

Method:

Roughly chop the carrots, turnips, celery, onion, leek & garlic. Add to a large pot, along with the salt & pepper and Ox tongue.

Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 3 hours, until the meat is tender. Leave to cool until the tongue is handleable. Peel the skin from the tongue and discard.

Add the vinegar and 2 cups of the leftover broth from boiling the tongue to a pot or cauldron, Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.

Thinly slice the tongue and put into a kilner jar, or other suitable container. Pour the vinegar broth over the tongue and leave for a minimum of one week before eating.

Pickled Ash Keys

Ash comes from the Old English ‘æsc’ which means spear.

The tree has often been believed to have healing power and carrying the keys would protect the user against witchcraft.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups/200g ash keys

• 2 cup vinegar

• Splash of water

• 2 tsp black pepper

• 3 bay leaves

• Tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tsp salt

• Tablespoon honey

Method:

Boil the keys for 10 minutes. Drain the water and boil again for a further 10 minutes.

Drain, Pack into warm, sterile jars or another suitable container and set aside.

Meanwhile simmer the rest of the ingredients together for 10 minutes.

Pour the vinegar mix over the keys, seal the jar or container immediately and store for a minimum of 2-3 months before eating.

Pickled Blackberries

Be sure to pick your berries before Michaelmas (Sept 29st), after this date it is said the devil pisses on them.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1/2 cup vinegar

• 500g/3 cups blackberries

Method:

Heat the honey and vinegar, until the honey is dissolved.

Add the blackberries and simmer for 10 minutes.

Strain the berries into warm, sterile jars or another suitable container. Continue to simmer the vinegar solution until it thickens a little. 

Pour the vinegar solution over the berries, seal the jar or container immediately and store for at least a few weeks before eating.

Great served with bread and cheese.