Nasturtium Pods - Pickled

Have you ever eaten nasturtium pods? 

They're the fat little unripened seed pods of nasturtiums.  Developing where the flower dies off, we start to see them late in the summertime.  They have that same spicy quality of the rest of the plant (try the flower petals in your salad), but are also reminiscent of capers.

They've been known to be called "Poor Man's Capers".

I throw them in with my pickles, however if you have enough pods you can fill a pretty jar all to themselves.  You need to have a lot of nasturtium pods.  The plants aren't picky, but they do love to hang down.  They don't climb so much as trail.

From the kitchen of "The Complete Housewife", 1739.

Pickled Nasturtium Pods
1 3/4 cup

4 1/2 Tablespoons pickling salt
3 cups water
1 pint fresh, green, plump, nasturtium pods
4 whole cloves
1 pinch blade (ungrounded) mace
1/4 whole nutmeg
1 slice horseradish, 1 1/2" x 3/16' sliced thin
1 shallot, peeled
1 cup white vinegar

Dissolve 1 1/2 Tablespoons salt into 1 cup water.
Pour this over pods.
Let stand one day.
Drain.
Make fresh brine the same way, let stand over pods one day.
Do the same on the third day.
On the fourth day, drain.
Put into sterile jars with spices and cover with vinegar.
Cover jar tightly with nonreactive cap.
Let stand at room temperature for at least one week.
After one week, may be stored refrigerated for one year or more.