Five things you should know about capers
Created: 01/13/2023, 16:00
By: Ines Alms
What exactly are capers?
And are they healthy?
There are definitely good arguments and important tips for using them in the kitchen.
Königsberger Klopse and the veal dish Vitello tonnato are unthinkable without capers.
The taste of the small salty balls is reminiscent of green olives and takes some getting used to.
But once you've taken a liking to them, you won't want to do without them in the kitchen again, whether for sauces or as a spicy topping like pickled gherkins.
Here are a few tips on how to use them and the differences between capers and capers.
Capers: Five things you should know about the salty buds
Capers are the immature flower buds of the caper bush.
©Panthermedia/Imago
Capers are the immature, green flower buds of the often thorny caper bush (Capparis spinosa), which grows wild in the Mediterranean, parts of Asia and Australia.
After picking, the initially bitter buds are pickled in salt or in brine, often with water, salt, and an acid source such as vinegar.
This fermentation gives them a longer shelf life - up to 18 months - and promotes their distinctive, bold flavor.
Better Homes & Gardens
magazine knows that if you let the caper flower grow into fruit and ripen on the bush a little longer, it becomes a caper berry or caper apple
.
These can be recognized in the trade by their olive size and their long handle.
Inside you will find tiny, soft seeds, like the kiwi.
The caper size makes the difference
Here are five more things to know about capers:
The smaller the capers or caper apples, the finer and more aromatic their taste.
Good quality capers have tightly closed buds and are bluish-green to olive in colour.
After opening, capers in brine should always be covered with liquid without adding vinegar or oil.
Salted capers should be rinsed with water before use.
Always add the capers at the end of the cooking time, for example with the caper classic Pasta Puttanesca.
Otherwise they lose their aroma, advises Udo Pollmer on
Deutschlandfunk Kultur
.
Researchers at the University of Palermo have found that capers, with their antioxidant properties, are said to prevent cancer and heart disease.
The Pharmazeutische Zeitung
reports that this is particularly the case with a diet rich in red meat and fat
.
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter of our partner 24garten.de.
also read
Tastes like the sea, but it's not fish
9 Food Myths: Are Expired Or Sprouting Products Bad For Your Health?
If the capers are allowed to fully grow and unfold on the bush, very attractive white-purple flowers reminiscent of passion flowers appear.
The plant can also be grown in Germany in a sunny spot on the terrace or on the balcony.