Cappero

The caper is a bud of a plant with very pretty thick round or oval shaped leaves. The harvesting of the buds starts in late springtime in Sicily, when the weather is already hot. The little islands of Lipari and Pantelleria, south of Sicily, produce capers of excellent quality and in sufficient quantities to be able to export as well. The smallest capers are the most sought after, because of their pungent flavour and tenderness. The larger they grow, the less taste they have.

Like olives, capers are bitter and inedible when raw and need first to be cured before being eaten. They can be cured in either vinegar, brine or dry salt. I think the best preserving medium is either brine or dry salt. If using brine, make a solution of 20% salt, add the capers and leave them to soak for a couple of days, then drain them and layer them in a jar with coarse sea salt, finishing with a top layer of salt. When you want to use them, soak them in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes.