Capers have for so long been used as ingredients of some wonderful Mediterranean recipes. The reason that made them gain this much popularity is that they are very nutritious and healthy. What do capers taste like? Have you ever tried out a capers recipe?
If you intend to have capers for the first time, I will give you a hint of what you should expect. I can simply describe the taste of capers as rather sour, with an olive taste and an evident salty flavor. These mixed flavors make capers quite versatile, and they can be used in a variety of recipes. They give food a unique flavor.`
If you never have, you are probably wondering what they taste like. This comprehensive article aims at letting you know how capers taste like. It also aims at giving you the entire details you need to know before you settle on this delicacy for the family dinner.
Quick Navigation
What Are Capers?
You might not have heard about capers. In your mind, you probably think that they are new in the culinary market. They have been in existence since ancient times. They are a kind of veggies that grow on the new limbs of caper plants.
The significant feature that will alert you that you have finally found capers is that they are tiny unopened buds that are green in color. Upon fully blossoming, their buds become flowers that are pinkish-white in color. The useful part of the caper plant is the bud.
Harvesting the capers from the wild is quite a process. First, they are harvested by hands, preferably very early in the morning. The timing is perfect to prevent blooming. The tiniest capers are the most valuable and best for a perfect dish.
The name given to the smallest capers is nonpareils. After harvesting the capers, soak them in a salt brine for a whole day, wash them gently and store them in malt vinegar. The long process will get them ready for your recipe.
Where Do Capers Grow?
Capers have become widespread nowadays, thanks to the ideal globalization and effective transportation. Despite this fact, there are also some marginalized areas where people have no clue on what the taste of capers is like.
Capers are quite common in the Mediterranean region, North Africa, Turkey, the Middle East, California and Europe. If you reside in Spain or Greece, you will certainly find plenty of capers growing in the wild and clinging and protruding from rocks.
The soil in those areas perfectly suits the growth of capers. Capers are grown in a small scale, and rarely grown for commercial purposes by most farmers.
The Right Way to Store Capers
After the long and tedious process of harvesting capers, you are probably wondering whether you can store some to be used at a later date. The relieving fact is that capers can be stored. By simply storing them while completely immersed in brine, you can be sure that they will still be in good condition for so long, even if they will be unrefrigerated
If you want to store them in the refrigerator, make sure that you immerse the capers in malt vinegar or brine. For unopened capers, it is safe to store them in the pantry, on the condition that the temperature does not go beyond 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you are not so sure about how safe your stored capers are for consumption, you should look out for some signs. For instance, if your capers have turned black or brown, do not eat them. Also, if there is an odor coming from the capers jar, get rid of them and save yourself the agony of food poisoning.
How to Make Caper Butter
This simple procedure will yield caper butter that will be ideal for your fish delicacy, chicken, seasoned breadcrumbs, pasta, and salad.
Ingredients:
- Quarter a cup of tiny capers
- A stick of soft butter
- Cayenne pepper
- A tablespoon of lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Salt
- Pepper
Procedure:
- Put a stick of softened butter in a fruit processor.
- Add to it some small capers. Half a cup of them will be just enough.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice, a good amount of lemon zest, just a little cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste in the food processor.
- Mix all the ingredients and let them swirl until a thick and consistent paste is formed.
- If you were preparing it for a meal at that time, it would go perfectly with fish. You can also store your caper butter in a container and refrigerate it for several weeks.
[Related Article: What Does Eel Meat Taste Like?]
Health Benefits of Capers
Iron
Capers have good iron content. Iron is essential in blood circulation within your body. Iron normally helps red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. It also enhances energy production to make the process of cell production which will, in turn, enhance growth and development.
Vitamin K
The vitamin K in capers is very important in maintaining strong and healthy bones and also enhancing cell development.
Conclusion
Whether you love trying various food delicacies or not, the tiny ball bearing seeming capers must have intrigued you. The fact that the smallest capers are the most desirable is also fascinating. So, what do capers taste like?If you have been wondering what capers taste like, just know that their taste is more like that of olive, but richer and have a sour but salty flavor.
These mixed tastes make it quite delicious. I would recommend that you try out capers yourself and determine what their taste is like. I can almost tell you that you will not be disappointed.
If you are a capers lover or a newbie when it comes to capers, feel at liberty to comment. For the capers’ lovers, explain what the taste of capers is like to you. Probably you will end up winning more taste buds to the capers side.