Oxeye Daisy Capers

Delicious Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) are budding forth as I write this. One of the most unique taste sensations in the hedge, I have a love affair with this plant that takes me into the realm of the sensuous.

The leaves and leaf tips are extraordinary, but the Oxeye Daisy flower buds have got to be tried to be believed. Divine is not too strong a word to describe them!

Oxeye Daisy Caper Recipe: Ingredients

  • 500ml brown rice wine vinegar
  • 1tsp sea salt
  • 1tsp red pepper corns
  • 1tsp mace
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • oxeye daisy flower buds (enough to fill two 0.25 litre kilner screw top jars)

Oxeye Daisy Caper Recipe: Suggested Instructions

  1. Put rice wine vinegar into a small saucepan, and add all the ingredients, except for the oxeye daisy flower buds.
  2. Bring the rice wine to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow sit for at least an hour until the mixture has gone warm/cold.
  3. In the meantime, put your oxeye daisy flower buds into the jars, and pack them down as much as you can.
  4. Next strain the vinegar through a sieve, to remove the spice ingredients, and pour into your jars until they are full, then cap.
  5. You may start eating them within 24 hours, but best to leave them to mature for a month.

Makes: 2 x 0.25 litre jam jars

Share article

Comment

  1. Hi Robin, thanks very much for another wonderful recipe share! Looking forward to trying this out?! One question, do I have to use brown rice wine vinegar? Can I not just use white wine vinegar or cider vinegar? I know these sound like simple questions but maybe you can help me out with an elaboration? Thanks

    Reply
  2. thank you Robin. Your passion for foraging and sharing is unique in the botanical realm I think. I appreciate you

    Reply
  3. Hi Robin,
    I’m definitely going to try this recipe, there are literally thousands in the fields around my house. One question; when do you suggest picking the flower buds, early morning, after the heads have opened or early evening?

    Reply
  4. Thanks for the recipe. I love capers, but they are not very local, here in Virginia, US. I have been making them with nasturtium seed heads, with good results. I use leftover juice from real capers and add extra salt and vinegar, so they are hard to tell from the real thing. I look forward to trying the daisy buds. Are they at all related to the caper plant?

    Reply
  5. Holly – Caper (Capparis spinosa) is a member of the Capparaceae family. Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) is a member of the Compositae. Very different plant families.

    Reply
  6. Hello! I鈥檓 excited to make these. Do you let the buds mature at room temperature or should they be refrigerated?

    Reply
  7. Can I use regular rice vinegar for this? I have never seen for sale ‘brown rice wine vinegar’ in my area before. These look tasty. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I can’t wait for spring now 馃檪

    Reply

Leave a comment