Capers are the buds of the caper bush, not to be confused with caperberries which are the fruit with stems attached. Capers add a burst of mustardy flavour and a nip of briny-ness to lift and transform a dish. It’s probably best known as an essential ingredient in tartare sauce, tapenade and salsa verde.

Red Hill Capers are locally grown and harvested. The hand-picked plump buds are packaged in jars, and available marinated in olive oil or salted. Salted capers have a more intense flavour and before using, need to be rinsed under running water then soaked for about 15 minutes in cold water then drained well. The olive oil marinated capers are milder and can be used straight from the jar.

CAPERS PAIR WELL WITH:

Eggs

Butter

Cured meats (to cut through the richness)

Vegetables like beans, peas, tomatoes, beetroot, potatoes, asparagus

Lamb (think salsa verde)

Beef cold cuts

Seafoods, such as tuna, smoked salmon, scallops, mussels

QUICK TIPS TO USE CAPERS

CAPERS & BUTTER Blend 1 tablespoon chopped capers, 3 anchovy chopped fillets, finely grated zest of a lemon with 125g softened unsalted butter. If not using straight away, shape into a cylinder, wrap with baking paper and store in the fridge up to a week or freeze. Serve the flavoured butter melted over grilled fish, steaks or over steamed vegetables such as, asparagus, green beans or broccolini, or over boiled potatoes or try with roasted cauliflower florets.

AS A GARNISH for egg dishes, cured meats, smoked salmon, antipasto platters, over pizzas with a tomato and anchovy topping

IN DRESSINGS & SPREADS Stir through a simple salad dressing of olive oil, lemon juice or wine vinegar. Perfect for Mediterranean dishes like a Greek salad of tomato, cucumber, olives and onion. Or add some chopped capers to perk up a mayonnaise dressing in a potato salad. Or mix with Main Ridge Dairy goats curd to spread on Tuerong Farm’s rye topped with Torello Farm’s pickled zucchini.

FRIED For crispy intense pops of umami flavour to add to dishes. Fried salted capers give a crispier result than the capers in olive oil, though both work. For fried salted capers, rinse under running water, soak in water for 15 minutes then drain well and pat dry with paper towel. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the capers, tossing occasionally to cook evenly on all sides until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

A serving suggesion would be to spread sliced fresh tomatoes over a platter and drizzle with a dressing made with wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, seasoned with sea salt flakes. Grind over black pepper then scatter with basil leaves and the fried capers. Serve immediately.

TO STORE After opening, store capers in the fridge. Check the jar for best used by date.

Caper suggestions by Fiona Hammond, March 2026

WAYS WITH CAPERS