Similar to the flavor of arugula or watercress, the nasturtium leaf makes a delicious savory scone, so let me show you how and why to make them!
Nasturtium Leaves In The Culinary World
The peppery flavor of nasturtium leaves have made them popular for culinary use. Since I often have a bed of tumbling nasturtiums growing in my own garden, both summer outdoors and winter indoors, I have discovered numerous ways to incorporate their peppery taste into a variety of foods.
Green leaves from nasturtium plants can grow as large as lily pads making them perfect to serve appetizers on top of, or penny’ size leaves as beautiful garnish.
Flowers, in bright yellow, orange or red from this hearty plant, are also edible as are the nasturtium seeds.
Seeds from the nasturtium plant have been made into nasturtium capers, or ‘poor man’s capers‘ as they are called, simply by pickling them.
Nasturtium Plants Are So Easy To Grow
Whether poor soil or nutrient rich potted soil, nasturtium leaves grow heartily nearly any time of year.
Hanging baskets in the summer or a few pots indoors in the winter, the Nasturtium leaf bring both color and a lovely scent to the home.
This of course, makes them a great option to grow for the nutritional properties as well as their ambiance and beauty.
Nutritional Properties Of Nasturtium Leaves
Like many leafy greens, nasturtiums are rich in fiber, antioxidants and oddly have 10 times more vitamin C than lettuce.
As if that isn’t enough to cook with these delicious peppery leaves, they also provide antibacterial and antibiotic properties.
If these are not nutritional reasons enough to bring nasturtium leaves into your kitchen, perhaps you’d prefer to trust the wisdom from Lord of the Rings films, as this leaf was introduced as a healing plant; probably taken from ancient Greek mythology!
What’s Not To Love About A Leaf Scone
While scones are often thought of as a flaky type of bread to lather butter and jam on for breakfast or tea, a savory scone should be just as celebrated with a lunch or dinner meal.
In my American home with a British hubby, words become humor. A scone vs a biscuit, a biscuit vs a cookie, but suffice it to say that once any of the above is served at my table, chatter ceases (wink).
Adding finely chopped, nutrition rich nasturtium leaves to this easy scone batter makes for a lovely quick bread to serve with soups, salads or even sliced open and stacked as tea sandwiches.
Savory Nasturtium Leaf Scones
There was a time, when I was growing up, that bread or biscuits were made plain, rarely anything in them unless they were being made with raisins for a sweet bread.
How far we’ve come in bread making, as you may already know from the many types of bread, scones and biscuits here at Whisk and Dine.
- Carrot Ginger Scones – An American Carrot Ginger Scone recipe that’s NOT a carrot cake trying to be a scone!
- Rustic Lemon Mint Scones – Bright in flavor from lemon and mint, rustic in appearance with the help of oat flour and quick to make.
- Blueberry Scones – Plump with fresh blueberries, a buttery oat dough with lemon glaze, for an afternoon tea or ladies gathering.
- Cheesy Beer Biscuits – Are an easy ‘quick bread’ recipe with olive oil, herbs, cheese and beer, which aerates the dough, making them light and fluffy.
- Herb Biscuit – Made to serve over the top of a variety of Pot Pie recipes instead of a pie crust.
This year however, was the first time I experimented with a savory nasturtium leaf scone. Once I brought my nasturtium hanging baskets from summer, into my greenhouse in the autumn, I knew I wanted to create a recipe for them.
Delicious Recipes With Edible Flowers
Adding beautiful edible flowers to recipes to showcase their unique flavors and beauty, has become my inspiration to grow them too, also the inspiration for my most recent book Dirt To Dish.
Have you ever had the edible flowers of the cucumber plant? They are both beautiful and delicious in a cold cucumber soup.
Or how about Spring Rolls, in which you can see the beautiful nasturtium leaves and flowers through the thin rice paper, with noodles, shrimp or other goodies hidden inside?
Edible flowers enhance cocktail, adorn salads, and are perfect for making scented sugars or salts, such as lavender sugar or nasturtium salt.
An Abundance Of Nasturtium In All Seasons
Growing up, a vegetable garden for cooking or flower garden for adornment was what grew in our home.
Now in my own home, I’ve found herbs and medicinal plants a great way to keep my family healthier during cold and flu seasons year round.
Since nasturtiums have a long flowering period, they provide so many options in all seasons.
Culinary Nasturtium
During the summer months, the nasturtium flowers capture my attention as I fill a bag of ice cubes, made with nasturtium flower petals, for summer sips.
As soon as my basil and oregano appear, I make a delicious nasturtium pesto with all the herbs together, use over pizza, in sandwiches and tuck some away in the freezer for winter soups and stews.
There are different ways to use the whole plant, so just think of nasturtium as any other herb you like to cook with.
Health Benefits From Nasturtium Leaves
If peppery flavors are your thing, then you will want to incorporate the leaves of the nasturtium plant , or other parts of the plant, into a variety of recipes. Their medicinal uses as well are surprising flavor are sure to have you growing your own.
Rich in nutrients, nasturtiums are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin D and iron which can each boost the immune system.
Historically, nasturtiums have been used for their medicinal properties, as they were believed to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, much like oregano, which has also been used for centuries in Mediterranean regions.
How To Make Nasturtium Scones
Once the nasturtium leaves are finely chopped and a zest has been extracted from lemons or limes, the rest is fast and easy.
Keeping the butter, cheeses, juice and milk cold is key in making these scones, actually cold ingredients are key in making all scones.
Scones are easier to form when the dough is kept cold, so if the dough becomes too soft to work with once mixed, simply press it down into a disc and pop it in the fridge for a bit to chill it before shaping.
Making scones can be done with either all purpose flour and baking soda or a self rising flour. I have also enjoyed mixing in more rustic grain flours such as oat flour or spelt flour.
The dry ingredients, mixed with the butter and wet ingredients comes together easily, and can either be cut into shapes, or left in a rustic form to bake.
Equipment Needed To Make Nasturtium Scones
- Baking sheet and parchment paper – A parchment paper lined baking sheet makes for easy removal and cleanup.
- Rolling pin – This dough rolls out easily enough so if you don’t have a rolling pin, grab a wine bottle and use it (wink).
- Hand mixer, pastry cutter or a fork – Scone dough is easy to work with and doesn’t need over mixing, so even a strong fork can work the dough. Hands can do the job too but it is better not to have the heat of your hands warm the cold butter.
- Measuring cup and spoons for measurements, though in truth I often eyeball measurements and it works just fine.
- Mixing bowl if mixing with a hand mixer or pastry cutter, or a food processor can be used, just be sure not to over work the dough. A few quick blitzes will do just fine.
- Cookie cutter or biscuit cutter for specific shaped scones or simply a knife for rustic cuts.
- Basting brush – Brushing cream or whole milk across the tops of the scones before baking makes for a golden color once baked.
- An oven of course, though even a countertop toaster oven will work too if the scones are placed on a tray that will fit, or bake in 2 batches.
Ingredients Needed For Savory Nasturtium Scones
- Cold Butter – the colder the better for an airier bake on the scones.
- Cold Whole Milk – whole milk with its natural fat content, makes for a dreamier scone.
- Ricotta, cream cheese or mascarpone, kept cold until ready to use.
- Parmesan cheese kept cold.
- Lemon juice and zest, or lime if you prefer its flavor.
- Garlic, if roasted it brings a nuttier flavor, if raw it will add a bit of heat and zing.
- All purpose flour, preferably one with a higher protein count, or a mix of all purpose flour and semolina flour which adds a nuttier taste and golden color.
- Oat flour, simply obtained by grinding oats in the blender or food processor.
- Baking powder and baking soda.
- Smoked chili paprika, though optional it adds a lovely depth of flavor.
- Nasturtium leaves, washed and dried.
Nasturtium Leaf Savory Scones
Equipment
- cookie sheet with parchment paper
- Basting brush
- Rolling Pin
- cookie or biscuit cutter
Ingredients
- 8 oz Cold butter cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup Whole milk, cold extra for brushing
- 1/2 cup Ricotta or cream cheese cold
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 4 tbsp Lemon or lime juice
- 1 tbsp Lemon or lime zest
- 1 Garlic clove crushed
- 2 cups All purpose flour extra for dusting
- 1 cup Oat flour see notes
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Smoked hot paprika
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Nasturtium leaves chopped
- Nasturtium petals, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a baking tray/cookie sheet.
- In a large bowl, or a food processor, place the all purpose flour and oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, paprika and salt. Work the butter pieces into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Whisk in the cold milk, ricotta, cheese, cold lemon juice, zest and finely chopped nasturtium leaves, taking care not to over work the dough.
- Once the dough forms a soft dough ball, transfer to a lightly floured surface and with a rolling pin shape the dough into a round disk, about an inch thick. With a biscuit cutter, press out the scones, or simply cut into wedges, transfer to the prepared baking tray. Brush with milk and chill for 15-minutes.
- Bake the scones for about 30-minutes or until they begin to look golden brown. Remove the baked scones from the oven, place scones on a cooling rack and serve shortly after.
Video
Notes
- Useful tips: shaping or cutting scones is much easier if the dough has not become room temperature, so keep ingredients and dough cold. Extra scones can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- Oat flour is simply crushed rolled oats in a blender or food processor.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.