Tasty, salty and spicy, capers give a unique flavor to many Mediterranean cuisine dishes. Used in sauces or as a complement to salads, capers are healthy and nutritious. If you have not tried them, read on and you will discover all its benefits and uses in your dishes.
Origins and harvest
- Capers are small flower buds of a shrub known as Capparis spinosa, a plant native to Mediterranean countries, from Spain and Morocco to Israel. This plant accepts salt water well and can even survive in regions experiencing severe droughts.
- Picked by hand, capers have different sizes ranging between 7 and 14 millimeters in diameter. The flavor of the capers depends on its size, the smaller ones are the tastiest, since the flavor is more concentrated, and as the flower opens up, the flavor will be less. Goya only packs the smallest sizes, because they are the ones with greater texture and flavor, in two denominations: Capote Capers (between 9 and 11 millimeters) and Non-Pairel Capers, (up to 7 millimeters).
Healthy food
- Capers are a very healthy food. It is estimated that each 100 grams of capers contain 5 grams of carbohydrates and 36 calories along with other nutrients such as fiber, proteins, vitamins C, A, K and E, as well as minerals such as iron, sodium and potassium.
- Blessed with so many nutrients can provide important health benefits and its use is recommended in treatments against rheumatism and dry skin. They are also used as a diuretic and have depurative, anti-hemorrhoidal and astringent properties.
Uses in the kitchen
- Capers enhance the flavor of other ingredients in the kitchen. They usually go very well with salty ingredients, such as anchovies or olives.
- Thus, we can use capers with red meats, vegetables such as cauliflower and pumpkin, or in salads. A basic complement to pizzas and pasta dishes, we can also use them to prepare white fish or grilled chicken.
- Another good advice is to fry them until they are slightly crispy and make a Caesar salad with a very special flavor; a special note on capers is that they also go well with smoked fish, ham, soft cheeses and freshly baked bread.