Capers are the fruits and unblown buds of a caper shrub. They are pickled or salted - a spice with a special taste and strong smell is obtained. Capers are popular among culinary specialists in France, Italy and Greece, but they can also be found on the shelves of our stores.
Capers are often added to cold sauces served with meat, vegetables and fish. They are substituted for olives and served with gin, martini and vodka. It is impossible to prepare classic tartare, ravigot, remoulade and tapenade without caper buds; they must be added to a Nice salad of potatoes, green beans and anchovies.
Capers are in perfect harmony with olives, tomatoes, garlic, onions, chili and onions. Many seasonings can be put into dishes with these buds: rosemary, basil, allspice, parsley, marjoram, dill, sage and mint. Olive oil will not be superfluous.
One of the easiest caper recipes is a sauce that can be served with any pasta dish. To do this, just cut the bell pepper into strips and fry in a pan with olive oil, then add whole salted capers and basil leaves to it.
In order for this spice to add a piquant aroma to the dish, capers should not be cooked. This will lead to a loss of flavor in pickled and salted buds. That is why chefs are advised to serve the spice separately or add it to the finished dish.
Salted capers can be consumed whole, but you should not do this with pickled capers. It is better to chop them finely, mix with oil and herbs. And in this form add to sauces, salad dressings and marinades. Pickled capers can be used with a blend of olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and oregano.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to find caper buds in the store. It is impossible to find a full replacement for this product, but it will be possible to save the dish with the help of pickled gherkins. When cooking fish and meat, it is permissible to use olives or olives instead of capers, and for sauces - mix olives with lemon juice.
