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Fresh New Recipes Featuring Jeff’s Naturals Capers

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Capers

Our featured recipes this month showcase what we believe to be the unsung heroes of the culinary world, Non-Pareil Capers. These flavorful nuggets of deliciousness often go unnoticed, yet they add so much to just about any dish whether it’s fish or poultry, appetizers, main courses, and more!

We source our capers from Turkey where they are picked by hand as soon as they reach the desired size, then dried in the hot Mediterranean sun before they are pickled in a brine of vinegar. Here are three fresh ideas for you to enjoy:

Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-PareilCapers

#1 Smoked Salmon & Caper Crepes

The salty, slightly briny flavor our our Capers pairs perfectly with smoked salmon and dill. This gourmet dish is simple to create for brunch or dinner.

smoked_salmon_caper_crepe_webINGREDIENTS
Crepe Batter:
1 c. flour
2 eggs
6 Tbsp. melted butter (plus more for coating pan)
1 ½ c. whole milk
½ c. ricotta
¾ c. whipped cream cheese1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
8 oz. smoked salmon
4 oz. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers
½ sm. Red onion, thinly sliced

PREPARATION
Add all crepe ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. In a large non-stick sauté pan on medium-high heat, add just enough butter to coat the pan. Slowly pour in crepe batter while holding pan off the heat and swirling the crepe batter in a circular motion to get a thin layer of batter on the bottom of the sauté pan. Cook for about 1 ½ minutes or until loosened from the bottom of the pan and lightly browned. Flip the crepe and cook another minute until lightly browned. Remove from pan and place on plate and continue process until batter is gone.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and dill. Season with cracked pepper.

To assemble the crepes, spread a small amount of the cheese and dill mixture over one half of the crepe. Add a thin layer of smoked salmon on top of half of the cheese, generously sprinkle with capers, add thinly sliced onion and fold crepe into quarters and serve.

#2 Baked Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Capers, and Mozzarella

Combine Jeff’s Naturals capers and sundried tomatoes with chicken and mozzarella for 25 minutes for a quick weeknight meal the whole family will love.

baked_chicken_with_sundried_tomatoes_and_artichoke_riceINGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1/4 c. Jeff’s Naturals Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes, julienned
1/2 Tbsp. Crushed Garlic
1/4 c. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 c. bread crumbs, seasoned

PREPERATION
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a bottom of a skillet until thin. Layer the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and capers along the center of the breasts and top with the mozzarella. Fold one side of the breast over the filling and roll into a long tube, secure with a toothpick.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and coat with the bread crumbs and bake in an oven-proof dish for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F; cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Allow the chicken to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing or cutting in half.

#3 Rigatoni with Savory Puttanesca Sauce

Capers and red wine bring out the natural flavors of tomatoes and artichoke hearts and herbs in this classic Mediterranean recipe.
Rigatoni_with_Puttanesca_Sauce_croppedINGREDIENTS
12 oz. rigatoni, uncooked
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbsp. oregano
2 jars (6.5 oz. each) Artichoke Hearts, drained
1 tsp. anchovy paste
2 c. (28 oz. can) tomatoes
2 Tbsp. Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-PareilCapers
1/2 c. dry red wine
1/2 c. Jeff’s Naturals Organic Sliced Greek Kalamata Olives
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. parsley, chopped (optional)

PREPARATION
Cook rigatoni in boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender. Add oregano and artichoke hearts and anchovy paste, stir for one minute. Add tomatoes, capers and red wine and stir to break up the tomatoes into large pieces. Bring to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer.

Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Add olives and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes more.

Can’t get enough caper recipes? Pin or print out some of these!

photo credit: bagel and lox with capers : castro, san francisco (2014) via photopin (license)

11 Ways to Enjoy Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers

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There is nothing like the distinctive flavor of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers to liven up your favorite Mediterranean dishes.

Capers, a favorite among foodies, are naturally low in carbs, contain no fat and are versatile enough to go with just about any dish whether it’s fish or poultry, appetizers, main courses, and more! Their distinctive salty, slightly briny flavor makes them a staple for Mediterranean dishes like authentic scaloppini and picatta recipes.

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So what are these mysterious tiny nuggets of goodness? Capers are the unripened flower buds of a perennial bush native to the Mediterranean. We source our capers from Turkey where wild caper bushes can be spotted growing wild in rocky crags and on coastal cliffs. Capers are picked by hand as soon as they reach the desired size, then dried in the hot Mediterranean sun before they are pickled in a brine of vinegar.

People commonly ask us, what does “Non-Pareil” mean? Great question! “Non-Pareil”, pronounced [non-puh-rel], is indicative of the size of a caper- usually about the size of a peppercorn. The word is translated from French and means “having no equal; peerless”. It means, they are unsurpassed, the most desired- the best! So, now you know!

Here are 11 ways to enjoy them:

1. In a food processor, mix Jeff’s Naturals Sun-ripened Dried Tomatoes with pitted Kalamata Olives, Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, garlic, anchovy filets, lemon juice and olive oil for a terrific tapenade. Spread it on fish or chicken before baking or serve it as a spread with crackers or crusty bread.

2. Combine Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers in a hot pan with butter, lemon juice, and white wine for a classic Chicken Picatta.

3. Use Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers as a flavorful garnish for bagels with lox and cream cheese.

4. Mix Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers into mayonnaise along with lemon juice and chopped chives for a sophisticated twist on a classic tartar sauce.

5. Add Artichoke Hearts to a simple piccata sauce of butter, lemon juice, Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers, and white wine and serve over pan-seared chicken or fish.

6. Roughly chop Organic Kalamata Olives and toss with Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers and olive oil. Spoon mixture over a block goat cheese and serve with pita chips.

7. Add Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers to sautéed onions and garlic. Dice tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, and anchovy filets. Mix together with basil and crushed red pepper flakes for an alluring Puttanesca pasta sauce.

8. Dress up your favorite pasta or potato salad recipe with a few spoonfuls of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers.

9. Top a pizza with thinly sliced fresh tomatoes, minced garlic, fresh oregano and a sprinkling of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers.

10. Add a couple spoonfuls of Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers to a Salade Niçoise with seared tuna, anchovies, hard-boiled egg, sliced potatoes, green beans, and olives in a Dijon vinaigrette.

11. For a tangy vegetarian version of a classic Caesar salad, use Jeff’s Naturals Imported Non-Pareil Capers in place of the traditional anchovies.

photo credit: feministjulie via photopin cc

photo credit: stijn via photopin cc