42
LIVING making carbs count
Just what are these
tiny buds of goodness
that can level up dishes
thanks to their distinctive,
tangy flavour?
Caper crusader
Capers - those little soft
balls found in many
Mediterranean favourites
- are the flower buds of
the Capparis shrub that grows right
across the Med and from Morocco
to Australia.
While they may be small and
compact, they certainly know how
to stand out with their lemony,
salty taste - and this fab store
cupboard ingredient is a great way
to add some va-va-voom to many a
savoury dish. What's more, capers
enhance flavour without hiking up
the calories, fat or sugar. They're no
new food trend, either, going back a
long way in culinary history - 2000
BC to be exact, mentioning them
as an ingredient in the Sumerian
epic poem of Gilgamesh, thought to
be the oldest written story known
to mankind.
Despite their size, capers are
a source of vitamins A and E,
manganese, niacin and calcium.
They also boast various antioxidants
and are recognised for their antiinflammatory
properties, helping
protect against certain health
issues, including cancer, reduced
risk of cardiac arrhythmia and
Alzheimer's Disease.
How to enjoy capers
There are so many ways to
experiment with capers, and they are
commonly enjoyed in Italian cuisine,
including salads, pasta salads, meat
dishes, and pasta sauces.
They're a firm staple for sauces
and condiments, including tartare
sauce and a great little topping for
pizza or jazzing up your fish dishes.
Here are several easy ways to get the
most out of them:
Add a handful of capers with
salmon and cream cheese - perfect
on a bagel or sourdough toast.
Mix into scrambled eggs for a
flavoursome breakfast.
Stuff baked red and yellow peppers
with capers, olives, anchovies and
your favourite cheese.
Jazz up a tuna salad with capers
along with Greek yoghurt and
lemon juice.
Perk up a regular green salad with
a sprinkle of capers and a drizzle of
olive oil.