Favorite recipe using capers?

[Silversage]

This one is real quick & easy if you have some brown sauce (espagnole) or something similar in the freezer. It doesn't have a name - it's just one of my fall backs when I'm in a hurry.

Sear a flank steak and cook till just medium rare. Set aside to rest.

Saute sliced 'shrooms, then deglaze the pan with brown sauce, a generous spoonful of dijon mustard, and toss in the capers.

Thinly slice the meat on the diagonal, and spoon the sauce over.

You could probably do a reduction of wine & stock if you don't have the brown sauce.

[QSis]

Originally Posted by deelady

are putenescas(sp) difficult at all to get right or is it pretty basic...Ive always been curious about that sauce, i don't know why Ive never taken the time to try it....

deelady, it's easy and deliciously savory!

I use Frugal Gourmet's recipe: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe

I haven't made it in AGES! Thanks for the reminder - it will go on the menu for next week!

Lee

[luvs]

i concur! puttanesca is delish!

[BreezyCooking]

Well, first off you have to keep in mind that there are several different types of capers.

There's the vinegar-pickled regular & tiny "nonparelle" size that are the flower buds of the caper bush. These are the ones you usually find in the supermarket & are the ones most commonly & universally used in cooking.

Second, there's the same sizes as above, but cured/packed in salt. These are considered to be higher quality than the pickled types, can be more difficult to find, & definitely need to be rinsed thoroughly before use.

Third, there's the pickled caper "berries", which are the actual fruit of the caper bush, & are becoming more common/popular in both cooking & as an interesting garnish for martinis. They're about the size of a small olive.

As you can probably tell, I ADORE capers, & use them whenever possible.

My favorites are sprinkled over green & seafood salads, in pasta sauces, in chicken (or turkey) piccata, in lemon sauce over turkey meatballs & egg noodles, over various fish dishes. . . .

If I think they're a "fit" in a sauce or dish, I use them. Oh, & if I need/want capers in a dish but only have the larger caper berries, I don't hesitate to just chop those babies right up! :)

[kitchenelf]

Breezy - caper berries are a beautiful thing! When doing a fancy schmancy bruschetta here's everything I put on, and in this order:

grilled crostini (hahaha - pretty sure that's redundant)
tomato mixture
thin, thin vegetable peeler slice of parmigiano-reggiano
high-quality anchovy
caper berry

HEAVEN!!!

I like a few capers on my smoked scallop alfredo.

[BreezyCooking]

Yes - I agree. I really like them. Don't care much for the salted capers, yet apparently those are the type most appreciated by Italian chefs. Mario Batalli has mentioned several times that those are the only ones he likes to use.

But then again - there's no accounting for taste - lol!!!!!!

[kitchenelf]

LOL Breezy - I fully agree about the salted capers - I'm NOT a fan! I've tried and I just can't warm up to them!

[deelady]

great recipe QSis! I C&P it thanks.
I am finally making Chicken picata with wide noodles this week, bought the stuff yesterday....my DF can't wait!

[DramaQueen]

Non-pariel capers are a staple in my refrigerator. I always have them on hand. I make a dynamite pasta sauce with them but my all time favorite use for capers is Veal or Chicken Piccata. Wow, what a fabulous flavor. i also put them in Veal and Chicken Saltimbocca.
This is veal piccata but I use lots more capers, and now I have to have some.