Dandelion capers and other pickled flower buds

These dandelion capers are little concentrated doses of flavors that turn any ordinary dish into a culinary adventure.

Made of pickled flower buds these flavor bombs will surprise you with their unique taste.

We love to add these little green balls to salad or pasta and lately just eat them with cheese.

Yes, we talk about pickled capers that make a great addition to any savory meal. It took us some time to start to like them but lately, we have become almost addicted.

Usually, I would go and buy them in a shop but they are not on the shelves these days. So I started a little search on how to make them at home. 

What are pickled capers?

Pickled capers are made of flower buds from a plant called Caper bush (Capparis Spinosa), also called Finder Rose. This plant grows in the Mediterranean area, not in our climate.

However what was interesting to learn during my research is that other little flower buds can be used instead such as dandelion buds, green milkweed flower buds or wild garlic buds.

Yuppi, our garden is full of dandelions that are not blooming yet so I still can make it! Making the wild pickled capers at home is a straightforward process. The tricky part is to gather dandelion buds at the perfect stage of growth.

Foraging for dandelion buds

While the dandelion season is from May to October, the window to forage dandelion flower buds is much shorter.

The timing is crucial as you need to get very young buds that don’t have a stem developed yet.

Generally, the smallest dandelion caper will have the most delicate texture and flavor. They are crunchy and perfect for our caper project. Buds with stems that are already formed into flowers are soft and full of fluffy petals and are not pleasant to bite into.

Once you find the plant check deep in the bottom, there is usually more than one bud, I tried with a tablespoon but it was faster with fingers. I usually took one or two buds from each and left the rest for the dandelion to bloom. A good size of bud is like a nail on your little finger, not bigger than that.

When I go to forage the young dandelion buds I usually take a few young dandelion leaves and use them in pesto, tea or smoothies. They are best to cleanse your body from toxins. Packed with minerals and vitamins that are very much needed at the beginning of spring.  If you happen to have the whole plant including its root, don’t forget to make this natural detoxifier dandelion bitter.

How to make capers

Once you manage to collect a small jar full of dandelion buds you need to decide which preservation method to chose to turn them into pickled dandelion capers.

1. Fermentation – preserving with salt

The old folks’ method calls for fermentation when you combine dandelion buds with water and salt and let it sit alone for several days.

It will start to ferment, and create the lactic acid that will lower the Ph, and make the mixture shelf-stable.

The fermentation method has additional benefits for our health such as :

• maintaining a healthy gut  – during the fermentation process probiotics are produced that can help restore the balance of friendly bacteria in your gut and may relieve some digestive problems (1)
• aid the immune system – fermented food contains probiotics that can boost your immune system and reduce the risk of infections. (2)
• Fermentation makes digestion easier by breaking down nutrients in food.
• In addition it helps to neutralize anti-nutrients like phytic acid.
• So eating fermented food is healthier than eating unfermented alternatives.

2. Pickling – Preserving flower buds with vinegar

The store-bought capers usually contain vinegar and salt.

This is another way to preserve fresh flower dandelion buds.

Simply make a brine with vinegar or apple cider vinegar and salt. Pour it into a jar with dandelion buds.

The salt and vinegar act as preservatives. Let it sit for a week, taste it and add salt as per your desire.

This mixture can be canned for long-term preservation or stored in the refrigerator for a few months.

Don’t be afraid to add other spices to the mixture such as garlic, coriander seeds, oregano, dill or rosemary. 

Advantages of apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermentation and therefore has similar health benefits as listed above for fermentation. In addition, it gives a bit of a sour touch and a change in taste to the dandelion capers. I have used it when pickling mustard seeds.

How to use homemade pickled flower buds

Dandelion capers tend to have a strong taste so don’t overuse them. Use them sparingly rather than adding a handful so they don’t overtake the dish’s flavors. Some people like to rinse them a bit before adding them to dishes to feel their authentic taste. They make a great addition to a Summer Charcuterie Board or cheese plates. Other ideas include:

• Serve it in salads
• We love it on scrambled eggs too
• Sprinkle them  on roasted vegetables
• Put your ordinary pizza into another level with these homemade dandelion capers
• Make pasta with them

Once you start to like them, you will want to add them to any dish. 

Other pickled flower buds

There are different flower buds that you can turn into tasty pickled capers. If you don’t have access to organic dandelion buds, you can try Wild garlic pickled buds, pickled daylily buds, or pickled rosebuds.

You’ll only have a week or two to gather these tiny Milkweed flower buds that are tasty and grow on roadsides and in forest clearings and open areas in parks.

Similar texture and taste like flower buds have seeds of certain flowers like Nasturtia. If you like the peppery taste of capers, try  Pickled Nasturtium buds.