what to do with CAPERS?

Hi!

Any suggestions of what to do with capers?

Charlie

[sushigirlie]

They're fun to snort, but soak them and dry them first.

[chefathome]

Provencal Tapenade

[ChefJune]

...the Provencal word for Capers is Tapena. essential ingredient in Tapenade, whatever else you use to make it. ;)

[operagirl]

Fun to see an old thread get bumped once in a while!

My favorite use of capers is in warm potato salad. Mine won the top "editor's pick" spot in the New York Times potluck contest this year, and it's pretty tasty if I do say so myself!

Warm Fingerling Potato Salad

serves 6

1 1/2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 C. chopped parsley
1/4 C. chopped chives

1. Steam the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until you can easily pierce them with a paring knife.

2. While potatoes are steaming, heat the olive oil in a medium (10") skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion, and sautee until onions are softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat under the skillet and add the vinegar, capers, mustard, pepper, and salt. Set aside.

4. While they are still hot, slice the potatoes into 1/4" rounds.

5. Add the potatoes, parsley, and chives to the skillet, and stir gently until all potatoes are coated evenly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

[MinkeyMonkey]

I like them with beef carpaccio, cracked pepper and a dash of olive oil and sometimes a squeeze of lemon.

Any kind of fish or shrimp dish.

And, of course, bagels with lox , cream cheese, Spanish onions, tomato slices.

Tuna salad is terrific with tons of the little guys as is any cold salad. Oh, German potato salad with dill and capers, yum!

I used to use them a lot more before I had to really watch my sodium intake.

My preference is also for the little ones but my brother really likes the large capers.

A few capers make the perfect topping for a slice of good cheese pizza.

Also great in tuna salad or egg salad.

I consider them indispensible in tuna salad sandwiches--so much subtler and better than pickles. I also use them in my Veracruz sauce for fish.

We always serve them with smoked salmon--along with thinly sliced red onion. Great in pasta puttanesca sauce, which is tomato sauce/chunked tomatoes, a couple anchovy filets, garlic, and a good shot of red pepper flakes (check Epicurious for recipe). The capers and anchovy blend into the sauce and lend depth and salty kick. They're also good added to tartar sauce, or make your own --mayo, a spoonful of pickle relish, and chopped capers --about a tablespoon.

[DreamCyn]

I second the Puttanesca idea. Most of my capers go to that.
The other thing i use them for is Lemon Caper sauce; a simple butter sauce of butter, lemon, and capers (with a dash of seasoning to taste, poured over thin, pan-fried chicken or grilled shrimp.

If you have kids, they can help you make a "gourmet" snack for all with capers.

celery stalk
cream cheese
capers

Fill the celery stalk round basin with cream cheese.
Place one caper at one end in the center and continue down the stalk with one caper each 1/2 inch from the next until you reach the other side.

Delicious.

I wouldn't think about making a fritatta without green olives and capers.

They are an essential ingredient in the sauce for Koenigsberger Klops, a German meatball dish.

Pat G.

[applgrl]

My dad (who is from Berlin) made this for us.....mmmmmmmmm. The recipe is in The Joy of Cooking.

Capers are a staple in our house.
- eat them with bagels and cream cheese, lox optional.
- add them to mayo with lemon juice for a great sandwich spread as another poster recommended.
- add them to eggplant caponata.
- sauteed shrimp with fresh tomatoes, chopped canned artichoke hearts, diced feta, garlic, lemon juice and capers is divine.

I am also including a link to one of my favorite recipes. Instead of all the monkey business with draining diced tomatoes, start with canned whole tomatoes in tomato puree and dice them. Then just add them and be done with it. Oh and I always add at least twice the olives and capers.

Link: http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/...

I don't care for capers but my folks did. As a result my mom made Chicken Piccata a lot. I now have friends who love capers so I use an epicurious recipe that is similar to hers. I've made it a few times for dinner guests and it is always a hit.

Link: http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/...

For a decadently delicious smoked salmon (not lox) on bagels, try adding some small capers on the cream cheese, a slice of tomato, a slice of purple onion, and the salmon on top.

I also use capers and lemon in mayo (real) to make tartar sauce. And I add it to ketchup and mayo along with sweet relish and a finely chopped shallot to make thousand island dressing.

Puttanesca sauce for pasta. One of my all time favorites, the spicier the better.

[mlipps]

I second puttanesca. Yummmmm!

[woodleyparkhound]

I third puttanesca; that was the first thing I thought of when I read the title of this thread!

Use them on pasta. With olive oil, garlic and parmesan. Or with tomato sauce and any vegetables.

They are essential to sole or flounder meuniere. Also to vitello tonnato. I use a lot of capers in pasta salad with salmon and lemon and on pizza. They're good scattered across smoked salmon, too. Usually I use the small capers in brine, not the large salted ones.

Also good added to Chicken/Veal Piccato with some hot pepper rings and lots of lemon.

Second the small, and I always rinse them, they retain plenty of the brine

I love them in tuna, egg or potato salad. Great in pasta sauces and teamed up with anchovies. I like the small ones also. I have some large caper berries, and they are overpowering unless chopped up.

I like the brined ones too. They make an interesting addition to a chunky gazpacho.

I like to add capers to potato salad.