ISO recipes/ideas for capers...

[grumblebee]

Awhile back I was given a beautiful basket of gourmet and imported food items from a friend. There was some lovely cheeses, crispbreads, preserves, etc. I've since used all the food except for one thing: a nice jar of good quality pickled capers. I have used some of them in salads, vinegrettes and tapenade but don't know what else I could use them for. I don't want them to go to waste so I thought I would ask you guys.

Aside from salad, dressings, and tapenade, what else can be done with capers? I was thinking maybe using some in a cream sauce for pasta, but maybe that would be too strange...?

Recipes? Ideas?

 

[Michael in FtW]

Chicken Piccata is my favorite - or - Veal Piccata are the first two that spring to mind.

I've also seen shrimp sauteed in EVOO and butter, with lemon juice and capers added - served over pasta.

 

[pdswife]

I was going to say Chicken piccata too.. but Michael beat me too it.

 

[ironchef]

Here's a very simple recipe which goes well with most types of seafood, but it really depends on the quality of the ingredients being used. The better the quality that the tomatoes and olive oil are, the better the dish will come out:

Vine Ripened Tomato Relish

Yield: Approx. 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 med. Vine Ripened Tomatoes, seeds removed and cut to 1/4" dice (sub. 4-5 Roma Tomatoes or 1 1/2 c. quartered Grape Tomatoes)
1/2 to 3/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Sweet or Red Onion, finely diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 tsp. Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
2-3 Tbsp. Capers, rinsed and dried
Fresh Lemon Juice to taste
Kosher salt and Fresh cracked Pepper to taste

Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Let it sit at room temp. for about 30 minutes to let the flavors develop. Season to taste with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper just before serving. Spoon the relish (including the olive oil) over the desired seafood of choice.

 

[RDG]

Capers are a flavor that you can add nearly everywhere you like their salted taste. You can use on pasta, or on meat, even on fish.
A very simple recipe for pasta:
50 gr can of tuna under oil
rosemarin
salted capers
Add them on spaghetti.

Again on fish:
Cook in butter a slice of fish like swordfish or similar: pass it in flour, add some white wine and a little capers too, with just a bit of Thym.

On veal or chicken breast: Make a sauce with evoo, tomatoes, black olives, capers, garlic, basil, and, if you like, just a bit of red peppers. A part, cook the veal or chicken in butter, and them allow it to get taste cooking again in the mixture for three or four minutes. This sauce can be used even on pasta.

Oh...I'm speaking of salted capers, not under winegar, isn't it?

 

[JMediger]

Piccata was my first thought too! However, I do tend to throw a palm full into pasta salad (pasta, onion, cubed cheddar, peas, mayo, dijon) when I make it and want a little extra flavor or zing. I do rinse them a little more than if I'm making piccata just to cut more of the brine.

 

[Gretchen]

Use on goat cheese bruschetta--spread baguette slices with goat cheese, top with roasted red peppers or oven dried tomatoes and then capers.
Also with smoked salmon. Salmon (lox style), cream cheese, capers.

 

[Poppinfresh]

I use capers in a million and one things. Everything from mashed potatoes (you'd be surprised how good they work together) to sea bass and salmon to veal.

 

[GB]

I find capers can be used in almost any pasta dish that has an oil sauce. I also love capers with any flaky white fish.

Poppinfresh I love the idea of using them in mashed potatoes. I can see how that would work real well!

 

[Erik]

Capers add a nice flaver to mayonnaise, for use on blackened foods

 

[buckytom]

i added some to a turkey meat loaf that i made for my family for lunch today at about 2am.(i couldn't sleep last night).

in the turkey meatloaf was diced red onion, red bell pepper, and garlic browned in evoo, then mixed with 4 cubed slices of nutty/seeded bread, 2 eggs, chopped sundried tomatoes, 3 tbsps of capers, and a pound or so of ground turkey.
it was formed into a loaf and put in an oiled baking dish, the top was coated with maille wholegrain dijon, and it was baked for 45 minutes at 350.

 

[mish]

Chicken Picatta was my first thought as well. Next thought - Caponata or ceviche.

 

[grumblebee]

michael and pdswife- I forgot to mention it, but the only meat I eat is fish and seafood. Nice idea though! And actually, I did a search on google for "fish piccatta" just to see if it was possible and found a few recipes! Go figure...

ironchef- That recipe sounds really nice and fresh. I love tomato on fish - definitely have to try this. Thanks!

RDG- the capers I have are in brine, not salt. Would the briny ones work with your recipes?

Jmediger- pasta salad... that sounds nice!

Gretchen- ohhh... i like the bruscetta idea. And lox and cream cheese... yum. That's one of my favourite brunch items.

Poppinfresh- That's a neat idea to put it in mashed potatoes.. I bet it could be good on a baked potato as well with some sour cream...

GB- Good to know that capers go well with fish.. I eat a lot of fish so maybe I'll add some in to the sauces I make with it.

Erik- That's a good idea... I bet it adds a nice, subtle flavour to the mayo.

Bucky- As I mentioned to pdswife and michael, I only eat fish/seafood - so turkey meatloaf is out! However, I do make a really nice vegetarian "meatloaf" using soya "ground hamburger" - I always add in onions, but putting in some peppers and capers is a great idea. I will have to try that.

mish- What is caponata?

 

[VickiQ]

I add capers to tuna salad,egg salad,caponata,and quite a few things I can't think of off hand.

 

[Robo410]

slice garlic, saute in olive oil, add capers and fresh herbs, add favorite cooked pasta, Serve with parmesan or Romano cheese. very simple and tasty.

capers are also an ingredient of putanesca sauce...olive oil, capers anchovies olives, crushed tomato, onion and garlic. leave out the panceta (bacon) if you wish. serve over linguini

 

[RDG]

Brine? Never found. But I think yes...The important is not to have winegar.....
We generally have under salt.....

 

[Robo410]

IN America, most capers come brined (often with a touch of vinegar) rinse well. One can find the salt cured capers and anchovies at fine Italian delis and markets and buy the amount you need.

 

[JMediger]

... actually, I did a search on google for "fish piccatta" just to see if it was possible and found a few recipes! Go figure...

Actually, the first time we had piccatta, it was made with Sole filets and it was absoluted devine. I guess it's not truely piccatta because the fish wasn't floured before it was done but it it was finished with a piccatta sauce. Again, wonderful!

 

[kitchenelf]

Salmon with a lemon/butter/caper sauce or a lime/butter/caper sauce

Top your Alfredo sauce with them

A spin-off on Alfredo is still make the sauce but add chopped sun-dried tomatoes but don't rinse the oil off, and capers

Smoked salmon with a spread of cream cheese, red onion, capers, and some of the vinegar.

Someone already mentioned the bruschetta - boy is that good!

 

[Hopz]

I love capers... there have been many good suggestions above... one more... rinse and drain them, then with scrambled eggs....