Pickled Capers
Thanks to my friend Leo I was lucky to find a wild caper bush this summer in Italy. It was blooming and beautiful and had 3 treasures to pickle on it at the same time:
The capers (which are the unopened, little flowers), some caper berries (the fruit of the tree) and also the leaves. We picked some of all three to pickle them and they turned out delicious.
caper leaves, capers (tiny, unopened blossoms) and caper berries
Pickled Capers
150g fresh capers (unopened caper blossoms)
150g caper berries
a handful of caper leaves
1 Tbsp salt
200g mild white vinegar
100g water
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
Wash the capers, caper berries and leaves very well. Add them to a big bowl, add cold water and 1 Tbsp of salt. Let sit for about 30 minutes.
Rinse again and divide them to 3 sterile glasses (i put the berries and leaves in one glass, the capers in a second glass).
In a small pot, heat the vinegar, sugar and salt until salt and sugar is dissolved.
Pour the hot mix in the glasses, close them and turn them upside down. Let cool, then refrigerate for about a week so they get the typical caper aroma.
washed capers before pickling
the colour turned to an olive green after pouring over the hot vinegar mixture
the capers, about 1 week after pickling them