327928 Thu Sep 21 23:53:10 -0700 2006 15 31 Home Cooking 0 1893703 I've never used them. I bought a jar today- they appear to be pickled. WHat do you like to use them for/with? Thanks, Spencer Thu Sep 21 23:53:10 -0700 2006 13328 Spencer 1 1893707 They're great for puttanesca sauces; for mashing into bagel schmears (esp. with salmon and dill); on top of any kind of creamy cheese; in chicken piccata... Thu Sep 21 23:54:37 -0700 2006 1893703 16953 MuppetGrrl 1 1893712 One standard use is in lemon-caper sauces for bland-ish meat, like chicken breast or veal scallops. There are two types: pickled, or preserved in salt. Mario Batali insists the salt-preserved ones are better because once you rinse the salt off, what's left is caper flavor, rather than vinegar, but I don't know if this makes a whole lot of difference or is just one of his quirks, like preferring salted anchovies over anchovies in oil. Thu Sep 21 23:55:59 -0700 2006 1893703 17327 rootlesscosmo 1 1893718 Good with any mild white fish. Makes a nice addition to a light sauce using lemon & white wine. Thu Sep 21 23:57:30 -0700 2006 1893703 34770 kitchensalli 1 1893720 They're also really nice fried or sauteed. Thu Sep 21 23:59:42 -0700 2006 1893703 11734 LT from LF 1 1893764 Spencer, Saute a little butter, white wine, fresh parsley and the capers - serve over chicken with a little grated Parm. For brunch served buffet style: put out a plate of smoked salmon, a basket of bagels or small pumpernickel bread, diced purple onion, and the capers. Folks can then build their own bagel and lox...ymmm. Soak the capers (regardless if they're packed in salt or brine), changing water frequently, otherwise they'll be too salty/vinegery. Good luck. Fri Sep 22 00:16:51 -0700 2006 1893703 13963 foggy 1 1893825 Or how about this: stir fry garlic and asparagus with olive oil. Toss with cooked drained penne pasta. Add drained capers (unrinsed) and dust with a nice parm/reg cheese grated on your rasp. Delish. Fri Sep 22 00:44:31 -0700 2006 1893703 42327 srjv 1 1893830 I love capers! I make use them when I cook Tilapia. I make a sauce for the fish consisting of butter, tomatoes, scallions, mushrooms, chx broth and salt and pepper. It has become a favorite of myself and all my friends:) Fri Sep 22 00:47:38 -0700 2006 1893703 29490 shanda013 1 1894019 Salt-packed really are better. They are hard to find though. Fri Sep 22 02:42:38 -0700 2006 1893703 11259 Becca Porter 1 1894712 They're excellent with Tomatoes, Basil, Olive oil, Salt and Mozzarella in Insalata Caprese. Also, Putanesca is a really nice, easy sauce to try. But, then again, I think they're good almost any way. Fri Sep 22 14:55:49 -0700 2006 1893703 24055 Atahualpa 1 1895962 I love the combo of capers, anchovies and parsley in pasta salad. pasta salad with tuna mash up capers with anchovies a can of good quality tuna (e.g. Trader Joes' packed in olive oil) pasta fresh tomatoes parsley olive oil quick, simple and delicious Fri Sep 22 22:01:10 -0700 2006 1893703 23630 mielimato 1 1896789 I'm a fan of capers in my morning eggs with ground black pepper, red, yellow & green bell peppers... mebbe some carmelized onion, too. The capers provide tiny hits of tang to balance the sweet peppers and creamy egg. Try it! Sat Sep 23 10:42:00 -0700 2006 1893703 39904 Bananna A. 1 1896838 Capers always go into my deviled eggs. Sat Sep 23 12:59:18 -0700 2006 1893703 19314 grapevine 1 1896879 ....for Snapper a La Vera Cruz. Make a tomato sauce with sauteed peppers, onions and tomatoes, and season with stuffed green olives and capers. Pour over whole snapper or thick fillets if you can't get a whole fish. Drizzle with OO and bake about 20 min at 350. Serve over rice. Capers make this dish! Sat Sep 23 13:58:30 -0700 2006 1893703 11234 toodie jane 1 1897508 I may or may not have recently eaten half a jar as a snack. <hee> Sat Sep 23 21:37:36 -0700 2006 1893703 20140 Olivia 1 1899855 Make a basic olive salad such as alcaparrado (see my recipe here: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/328453 ) and read a Daisy Martinez book for uses :-). Try a more involved salad used on a muffaletta sandwich (see here: http://www.gumbopages.com/food/samwiches/muff.html ). Mon Sep 25 06:34:59 -0700 2006 1893703 23712 DiveFan 1 1902879 I had these deep-fried on a caesar salad and it made all the difference - amazing! Had to ask the chef what he did... simply drained a bunch of capers (probably well, wouldn't be surprised if overnight or if he put them in a low oven to dry a bit) and then deep-fried them in oil. Much tastier that way. I will probably never have capers any other way at home because of this. Tue Sep 26 14:49:26 -0700 2006 1893703 40486 Cinnamon