Capers Let Them Add Zest To Your Summer Dishes

If you want to add zing to any marinade sauce or salad then think about capers. These salted buds can liven up anything from boring kabobs to a bland vinaigrette . They are wonderful , thrown into a lemon marinade or add dash to chilled veggies. Capers are the perfect ingredient for any summertime dish.

Capers are the unripened flower buds of the prickly perennial Capparis spinosa. They're indigenous to the Mediterranean region, growing on rocky coastal areas. The ancient Greeks used it in a tea to combat gas but mostly it has been a vital and much loved ingredient in Mediterranean cooking for the last millennium or so. It is big in Cypriot cooking mostly in salads (and even in potato salads there too!) The buds acquire their salty taste by being fermented in either wine, vinegar, salt, or brine. Capers from southern France are the most prized and the most expensive because of their size(the smaller the better)Most grocery stores sell the larger buds,. You can also make your own version using nasturtium seeds.

What to do with capers? They're good livening up a celery or fennel salad. Their saltiness highlights both the celery and the fennel's sweetness. Also a handful of capers can add spark to a simple grilled chicken or salmon salad. Another idea is adding a small teaspoon to a creamy lobster or shrimp and mayo mix and foregoing the salt. Capers can also be used a a pizza topping or in a garden bruschetta. There are several ways in which to enjoy them.

If you're looking for a spin on your old summer recipes, think about adding some capers to the mix. They'll punch up any salad or sauce , bringing out the other ingredients' flavors. They're a fun addition to any hot weather dish.