NOVEMBER 10TH, 2009
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Nasturtium are beautiful plants, spicy and multi-purposed in the garden. Aphids love them, so if you plant them make sure you plant them as a border crop. You’ll notice aphids gathering on the undersides of the leaves in thick clusters as early as June. As for us, yes, we too can nibble the leaves, which are only slightly less spicy than the edible flowers. If you let them go to seed, the little grey curl that results is a “poor man’s caper” once pickled. If you’ve yet to try making nasturtium pesto, be bold and act quickly–as the frost creeps in, the nasturtiums are among the first leaves to wilt up and die. I watched my nightshades, then squash, and now these, take the plunge before this glorious indian summer. In this photo, a group of teens visiting Eagle Street Rooftop Farm take the bold plunge into their first edible flower experience.
Nasturtium Pesto
Into a food processor or blender, put the following ingredients:
4 cups packed nasturtium leaves
3 to 5 cloves of garlic
1 and 1/2 cups olive oil
2 drops Tabasco sauce
1 cup walnuts