Chicken Piccata and Capers?

[kjonyou]

I am extreemly new at cooking, not to mention this is my first post!

Anyway, I tried cooking Chicken Piccatta twice and while it came out ok, there was something missing, the taste of Capers. My other half made the same comment, even though I added the capers to the sauce as the chicken broth, it did not flavor the sauce like my local Italian joint.

I was wondering if washing and rinsing them as directed by the recipe removed all the flavor, or is my local restaraunt just dumping them in the pot including the brine juice compleatly unwashed? Is that what I am tasting? How can I get that flavor without eating dirty brine caper water?

 

[kadesma]

Do you add lemon juice to your chicken piccata? Is that the flavor you're searching for?
kadesma

 

[kjonyou]

Yes, I add lemmon juice, I tast that, which I love, but no caper flavor unless I eat a caper. They usually add a salty flavor.

 

[Michael in FtW]

It could be how many capers you are adding, it could be when you are adding them ... and it could be the fact that you are washing them. I've never washed mine and I've never had a problem.

What makes you think that using the brine they are packed in is ... "eating dirty brine caper water"?

 

[kitchenelf]

After you have plated your chicken THEN top with capers and do not rinse them. You are cooking the flavor out of them by adding them too soon.

The ONLY capers you was are the salt-packed capers. I prefer the brined ones myself...and they're cheaper too!

And the caper "juice" is not dirty!!

 

[kjonyou]

Why dose every recipe tell me to wash them? I thought brine was the same thing as salt water.

 

[kadesma]

What Michael and Kitchenelf said, add those capers unrinsed and don't be afraid of the caper juice..I'm known to add a little to my pan at the end of cooking.
kadesma

 

[Michael in FtW]

Why dose every recipe tell me to wash them? I thought brine was the same thing as salt water.

Well, brine is salt water - but, it also has some concentrated caper flavors.

Not all recipes work ... if they did - you probably wouldn't be here wanting to know why the ones you have been using didn't work - would you?