What the cooks do not do to impress sophisticated gourmets: they mix salty and sweet, add unusual ingredients and strong spices to dishes . The latter include capers.
What are capers ? Let's consider in more detail!
Capers is one of the oldest spices in the world. It is first mentioned in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. It is an unblown bud of a shrub known as a caper. It is common in the Mediterranean, Central Asia and North Africa. This plant can be found in southern Crimea.
The caper buds are rich in protein (25%) and contain very little fat (3%). Also in their composition there is iodine, magnesium, calcium, organic acids, fiber and vitamins A, B, C, E. Moreover, they are a low-calorie product (23 kcal per 100 g). In this regard, everyone who is on a diet must know what capers are. After all, this product has many useful properties. Capers are a diuretic and choleretic, and also stimulate digestion and improve appetite.
In ancient times, this spice was often used as a medicine. In particular, a decoction from the roots served as anesthetic, and a decoction of flowers was used to strengthen the heart system and heal wounds. The caper berries were used to prepare medicines for toothache and thyroid diseases. Modern medical studies have confirmed that the fresh parts of the plant have analgesic, aseptic and astringent properties. As a rule, capers are not subjected to heat treatment, so they retain most of the valuable substances.
How to use capers ?
They are often used in Mediterranean cuisine. But one should not forget that fresh caper buds are bitter and tasteless. They acquire their special taste after several months of special processing. They are usually pickled or salted, as a result of which they acquire a specific spicy taste that slightly resembles mustard.
To fully understand what capers are, it is worth adding them to some dishes. This seasoning goes well with:
- cheese (feta, mozzarella, feta cheese);
- olives
- meat (chicken, beef, lamb);
- seafood;
- salted and smoked fish;
- pasta
- onions;
- sweet pepper;
- Tomatoes
- eggs
- olive and butter;
- celery;
- greens.
Salted or pickled capers can be added to an already prepared dish. They are also suitable for sauces, for example, for tartar. Capers will diversify delicious dishes. For example, hodgepodge, pizza or seafood salad.
What are capers, must-know lovers of Olivier salad. After all, this product was an integral ingredient in the original recipe for this dish. When added to dishes, capers are finely chopped or ground. On average, one teaspoon of spice is needed for one serving. Although this dose can be changed. But it is worth remembering that salads with capers become even tastier the next day. Mediterranean chefs recommend starting dinner with capers, chewing them to stimulate appetite.