Capers

Capers are the immature flower buds of a thorny bush with white or pink flowers with purple stamens. The capers are harvested before they can even appear or bloom. The plant is cultivated in Italy, Morocco, and Spain, as well as Asia and Australia. To turn the unripened bud into the salty green pea-sized ball, it is dried in the sun and then pickled in vinegar, brine, wine, or salt. The curing brings out a tangy lemon-like flavor, which is similar to green olives.

If the flowers are allowed to mature and be pollinated, they develop into caperberries. These fruits usually grow to the size of olives and are filled with multiple small seeds, which grow bigger as the berry matures. Just like capers, caperberries are prepared by brining or curing.

The Capparis spinosa plant has also been used throughout history for pharmacological purposes. In ancient Egypt, the root of the caper plant was used to help manage liver and kidney diseases, while ancient Romans used it to help alleviate paralysis. Other illnesses that the Capparis spinosa plant was used for include toothache, fever, headache, painful menstruation, rheumatism and sciatica.

While capers are small, they’re packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Capers are rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate and vitamins A and K. It also has vitamin C, niacin, iron, phosphorus and zinc in trace amounts. They also have alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and tocopherols, which play an important role in regulating cellular enzyme function, inflammatory responses and other important body functions.

Other benefits include:

• Diuretic and antihypertensive – A 2007 animal study published in the American Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology showed that Capparis spinosa extract helped increase urinary sodium and potassium excretion, leading to lowered blood pressure levels.
• Anti-inflammatory – Two studies from BioMed Central show that capers contain compounds that may help suppress interleukin-17 and promote interleukin-4 expression, which are important factors in easing or stopping inflammation from occurring. They also exhibit chondroprotective (joint spacing) properties that might rival nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) typically prescribed for pain and swelling.
• Antidiabetic – In a 2017 animal study from the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, researchers found that the aqueous extract of the Capparis spinosa plant contains antihyperglycemic properties, which may regulate glucose production and restore insulin sensitivity.

How to Buy

Capers are available at most markets. They can also be found in a variety of specialty and health food shops. When selecting them, look closely at the packaging to determine their origin and preparation method.

There are several varieties of capers, classified by size and region of origin. The smallest are grown in France and known as “nonpareils.” Spanning less than 1/4 inch, these capers tend to be the most flavorful and the most expensive.

Larger capers, known as “surfines” are among the most common varieties. Sizable capers such as capotes, capucines, fines, and grusas are less common.

Capers are typically packaged in small jars, no more than four ounces, in a vinegar brine. You can find them in the pickled food aisle alongside olives. Smaller nonpareil capers are more expensive than larger capers.

How to Store

Capers may be packed in brine or salt and this will determine how they should be stored; both should be in an airtight container. Brine-packed capers should be completely submerged and will keep for nine months or longer in the refrigerator. Unopened jars can be stored in the pantry. Salt-packed capers can be stored at room temperature for up to six months.

Foul odors and dark coloration in the jar are signs that the capers have gone bad and need to be discarded.

How to Cook

Due to their strong taste, it’s best to use caper sparingly.

Capers are ready to use out of the jar. Many recipes call for rinsing the capers to remove some of the salt or vinegar, which allows the true flavor of the caper to come through. Blot the caper dry with a paper towel after rinsing. Larger capers should be chopped before use. Some recipes, such as sauces, may call for finely chopped capers while others use them in a puree like tapenade. Most of the time, you’ll simply add them to the hot pan with other ingredients, typically toward the end of the cooking process. This allows the capers to keep their shape and maintain their signature taste.