Spice market: capers
Susan Jung
Until two years ago, the only capers I had seen came in a jar. But on a trip to Israel, a friend showed me a caper bush growing wild near her house. I probably wouldn't recognise the bush again if I saw it, because, to my untrained eye, it looked like almost any other bush - even the edible flower bud didn't look that distinctive.
Small, tender capers are considered superior to the larger ones, which have a rougher texture.
The tart saltiness of capers (and caper berries) is good for cleansing the palate of fatty foods, such as charcuterie. Capers add a sharp note to certain sauces, such as tartar and salsa verde. I love them in a savoury version of beurre noisette, which is one of the easiest sauces to make. Melt butter in a skillet and cook it until it turns brown and smells nutty (it will splatter a lot, so take care). Add some small capers, chopped fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice, then serve with cooked fish, sweetbreads or calves brains that have been dipped in seasoned flour and pan-fried.