All About Capers | Know Your Spice Caper (Capparis spinosa)

Benefits of Capers – Capparis spinosa provides flavour, aroma and saltiness to pasta sauces, pizza, fish, meats and salads.

The flower buds, semi mature fruits & young shoots with small leaves are pickled for use as a spice.

Amongst health benefits of capers is its notable ability to reduce flatulence and being antirheumatic.

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Capparis spinosa probably originated from the arid regions in western and central Asia since they have been used there for thousands of years.

The word Capparis spinosa comes from the latin capparis which was borrowed from the Greek word  kápparis that was probably linked to the island of Cyprus where caper thrives.

There’s mention of them in the Gilgamesh, possibly the oldest written story documented and found on ancient Sumerian clay tablets dating back to c. 2700 B.C.

Apicius also mentioned them as did Dioscorides, a surgeon in Nero’s army who confirmed that they were initially used by the ancient Greeks.

Ancient Greeks knew the caper, and the renowned Phryne, at the first period of her residence in Athens, was a dealer in capers.

Greeks not only used Capers as an ingredient in cooking but also used the roots and leaves of the plant for medicinal purposes.

The Greeks of the Crimea still eat caper sprouts, which resemble those of the asparagus, as well as the bud, shoot, and, in short, every edible part of the caper shrub.

About 1755 Henry Laurens imported caper into South Carolina. They were also raised successfully for two years in Louisiana before 1854, but the plants perished from frost.

Every spring, flower buds appear on the capparis spinosa plant ready to bloom into flowers. If the buds are picked at this stage, they are called capers, and they are quite small in size.

The buds if not picked bloom into flowers. After the flowers die a larger green caper appears where the flower was – these are called ‘caper berries’.

Caper berries are closer to olives in overall shape. Both capers and caper berries have a similar nutrition profile and taste, and the only real difference is their respective size.

Capers are categorised and sold by their size with the smallest capers the most sought after

• Non-pareil (up to 7 mm),
• Surfines (7-8 mm)
• Capucines (8-9 mm)
• Capotes (9-11 mm)
• Fines (11-13 mm)
• Grusas (14 and over mm)

Raw Caper buds have a neutral flavour and hence need to be processed in a pickling medium to develop their unique piquant, tangy flavour.

When the buds are ready to pick, they are dark green and about the same size as a corn kernel. They are then picked, salted or preserved in brine.

After the pickling process the flavour intensifies since mustard oil (glucocapparin) is released from each caper bud.

This enzymatic reaction also leads to the formation of rutin often seen as crystallized white spots on the surfaces of individual caper buds. 

Once prepared the capers take on a salty, piquant, flavourful, slightly sour and slightly sweet taste.

Caper taste can be described as lemony, olivey, and salty. Much of the briny, vinegary taste comes from packaging in a salt-vinegar brine.

Finally, capers do have a whole range of different flavours mixing together, which is why they are so popular for flavouring food.

The flower buds, semi mature fruits and young shoots with small leaves are pickled for use as a spice. It gives flavour, aroma and saltiness to pasta sauces, pizza, fish, meats and salads.

Medically Caper reduces flatulence and anti-rheumatic. It helps to improve liver function and used against arteriosclerosis, as diuretic, vermifuges and tonics.

Capers have antioxidant properties. Caper extracts and pulp are also used in cosmetics.

Handpicking of Capers (Capparis spinosa)

Capers are expensive predominantly since they are hand picked from thorny bushes of the caper shrub.

The timing is crucial for caper picking; the flower buds need to be picked just before they start to open.

As the bush also contains many thorns, this labor-intensive process is time-consuming and why capers are relatively expensive per gram.

Soaking of Capers

After picking, the capers need to soak in water for a day or two. This soaking process helps to lessen their bitter flavor.

Curing & Pickling of Capers

Once the capers finish soaking, they have to undergo a curing process.

The first option is to salt-cure the capers, which involves covering them in salt. This method involves packing the capers in salt, ensuring that they are fully covered.

After about one week, the salt can be rinsed away, and the capers will be ready to eat.

An alternate method is to pickle the capers in a brine solution that contains salt and vinegar. They should be ready to eat after around one week, but they will taste better after several weeks.

Capers can last a few years beyond a “best by” date if kept properly sealed. Capers are unripe flower buds which are preserved in a brine to bring out their tangy lemon flavor. They are mostly sold in jars.

The pickling process of Capers usually involves vinegar which is very acidic and creates an extremely hostile environment for the growth of bacteria, thus extending their shelf life for a long time.

Store capers in a cool, dark place. Once you open a jar of capers, store it in the fridge and make sure they keep below the level of whatever they were pickled in.

• The caper berries are served with beer as tapas in bars in Spain.
• A number of Italian, French and Greek recipes call for Capers but they are not often found in American dishes.
• Place capers in a small strainer and rinse them under running water before adding them to sauces or meats.
• Capers are a favorite addition to fish sauces and marinades, along with brined and dried anchovies.
• Remember most recipes call for the small caper buds, not the larger and less salty berries. Caper berries are sometimes marketed as capers, but the two should not be confused.
• They’re perfect for topping for fish, chicken or meat, and you can also use capers in a sauce, salad or on pizza.
• You can try a caper tapenade or pesto to serve on a crostini.
• Serve caper berries mixed with other brined and pickled vegetables on an antipasti platter.
• Some examples of how to use caper buds:
  1. In a sauce, over chicken or fish;
  2. In a seafood soup or stew;
  3. In a salad dressing;
  4. In a vegetable tartare;
  5. In Pasta Puttanesca or Pasta Salad;
  6. In potato salad or chicken salad;
  7. In Chicken Piccata;
  8. On eggs Benedict or scrambled eggs.

Green olives: Caper has a taste similar to olives, so green olive is an effective substitute when you don’t have any caper at hand.

Thyme: Thyme’s strong flavor makes it a great substitute for caper.

Pickled artichoke hearts: If you get halfway through your chicken salad recipe and realize you’re out of capers, pickled artichoke hearts may be a good substitute.

Pickled nasturtium seeds: If you have access to them, pickled nasturtium seeds work as well; the nickname is “poor man’s caper.”

Capers are well available in well-stocked grocery stores, supermarkets, and natural food stores You’ll find them usually down the condiment aisle near pickles and olives.

Caper stock may also be placed in the International aisle near Italian products.

They are also easily found in specialty and gourmet food stores as well as online. Capers are typically packaged in small jars, no more than four ounces, in a vinegar brine.

Health benefits of Capers or benefits of Caper

Different parts of the Flinders Rose plant are recommended for treating different conditions:

Here are some notable Health Benefits of Capers;

• Health Benefits of Kapari against Cancer – When combined with poultry or red meat, capers may help limit the creation of harmful byproducts that have been linked to cell damage and an increased risk of cancer.
• Health Benefits of Caper against Alzheimer’s – People who regularly consume flavonoids such as quercetin are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
• Health Benefits of Mullukattari as an Antioxidant – Flavonoid compounds in Caper including rutin and quercetin compounds are potent sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to prevent free radical, which can cause cancer and skin related diseases.
• Health Benefits of Caper as a Source of Vitamins – Caper or Kapari (in Turkish) are storehouses of vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin K, niacin, and riboflavin.
• Health Benefits of Caper against Rheumatism – Capers have been used as a treatment for rheumatic pain in ancient Greece.
• Health Benefits of Capers for Flatulence – Caper relieves stomach ache and flatulence. In addition, these spicy buds are eaten for improving appetite.
• Health Benefits of Kapari against Diabetes – Capers help to keep diabetes in check. Capers contain chemicals that keep blood sugar in check.
• Health Benefits of Caper as an Antiinflammatory – In arthritic rats, a Chinese medicine based on capers reduced the production of two inflammatory proteins (TNF-alpha and IL-1beta) and the blood levels of Th17 cells.
• Health Benefits of Flinders Rose as Immunity Booster – A caper bud extract rich in flavonoids inhibited the genital herpes virus by stimulating Th1 cells to mount an immune response (via IL-12, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha).
• Health Benefits of Caper against Liver Damage – In a clinical trial on 44 people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, 40 – 50 g of caper berries per day for 12 weeks reduced disease severity and the levels of two important markers of liver damage.
• Health Benefits of Capers against Allergies – In a clinical trial on 8 healthy people, 100 mg of a gel with 2% caper bud extract prevented the skin inflammation triggered by histamine.